Montia linearis
Encyclopedia
Montia linearis is a species of flowering plant in the purslane family
known by the common name narrowleaf miner's lettuce. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
to California
to Utah
, where it grows in moist to wet areas in a number of habitat types, including forests and meadows, woodlands, and grassland. The plant is also known from some areas of the southeastern United States, including Mississippi
.
bears up to 14 flowers with bases of curving oval green sepal
s. The petals are roughly half a centimeter long and white or pink-tinged in color.
Portulacaceae
Portulacaceae are a family of flowering plants, comprising about 20 genera with about 500 species, ranging from herbaceous plants to shrubs. The family has been recognised by most taxonomists, and is also known as the purslane family; it has a cosmopolitan distribution, with the highest diversity...
known by the common name narrowleaf miner's lettuce. It is native to western North America from British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, where it grows in moist to wet areas in a number of habitat types, including forests and meadows, woodlands, and grassland. The plant is also known from some areas of the southeastern United States, including Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
Description
Montia linearis is a slender, branching annual herb growing erect to about 25 to 30 centimeters in maximum height. The somewhat fleshy linear leaves are alternately arranged and measure up to 10 centimeters in length. The inflorescenceInflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
bears up to 14 flowers with bases of curving oval green sepal
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
s. The petals are roughly half a centimeter long and white or pink-tinged in color.