Water-purslane is a hairless, creeping annual species which grows on bare, damp, acid ground, in pools and ditches and on woodland paths. It bears tiny pink-purple flowers, each singly in the axil of a leaf. The stalkless flowers have 6 miniscule petals and a calyx tube which has 6 pointed teeth. Sometimes the petals are absent. They flower from June to October. The leaves are opposite and oval with reddish ribs. The plant spreads on square reddish stems which root at nodes. This is a native species which can be found in parts of Ulster, Munster and Connacht. It is a member of the Lythraceae family.
I first saw Water-purslane in County Kilkenny on a field trip led by Roger Goodwillie, BSBI Vice-County Recorder for that county.
If you are satisfied you have correctly identified this plant, please submit your sighting to the National Biodiversity Data Centre
