Indian Lettuce

Plants annual, with minute, tuberous bodies; periderm absent. Stems 5-50 cm. Leaves: basal leaves in suberect to erect, seldom flattened rosettes, petiolate, 1-30 cm, blade often with weak red pigmentation, broadly rhombic to deltate or reniform, 1-7 × 0.5-5(-6) cm, apex obtuse to apiculate, mucro 1-3 mm; cauline leaves sessile, blade perfoliate or cleft or notched, 10 cm diam. or less. Inflorescences 1-bracteate; bract leaflike, 0.5-15 mm. Flowers 3-10 mm; sepals 1.5-4 mm; petals pink or white, 2-5 mm; ovules 3. Seeds 2-5 mm, shiny and smooth; elaiosome 1-3 mm. 2n = 12, 24, 36, 48, 60.

Montia perfoliata (Donn ex Willdenow) Howell