Plants of the Castlemaine district

Miners Lettuce - introduced (*Claytonia perfoliata)

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Other names: Montia perfoliata.

Family: Portulacaceae (Purslane family).

Native of North America.

Occurrence: Scattered environmental weed. It may be locally abundant.

Identification:

It is a short-lived annual and dies down in summer. The unusual leaves make this a distinctive plant. It has been used as a salad vegetable, and was reputed to have been introduced to Australia by the Californian miners.

Photo 1: Miners Lettuce. Mt Alexander.
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2: Dense patch of seedling leaves. These have not yet developed the rounded, stem-clasping leaves. 3: Miners Lettuce with adult leaves.
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4,5: Miners Lettuce. Photos 2-5: Castlemaine Botanic gardens.