Citation: Pax & K. Hoffm., Natürl. Pflanzenfam. edn 2, 16c:259 (1934).

Synonymy: Claytonia australasica Hook. L, Hoolc. Ic. 3:t. 293 (1840); Paxia australasica (Hook. f.)O. Nilssön, Bot. Notis. 119:469 (1966), nom. illegit.; Neopaxia australasica (Hook. f.)O. Nilssön, Grana Palynol. 7:331 (1967).

Common name: White purslane, montia.

Description:
Prostrate perennial herbs with rhizomatous stems to 30 cm long, rooting at the nodes; leaves alternate, erect, linear to narrow-oblanceolate, 3-10 x 0.1-0.4 cm; leaf base dilated, scarious, shortly sheathing the stem.

Pedicels 4-20 mm long, recurved in fruit; sepals broad-obovate to suborbicular, 2-3 mm long; petals white or pale-pink, obovate, 5-10 mm long, 3-6 mm wide; stamens 5; style twice as long as the stigmatic arms.

Capsule subglobose, 2.5-3.5 mm long, shorter than the sepals; seeds suborbicular, a dark brown-black to black, shiny, smooth to faintly colliculate, 1-1.5 mm diam.

Published illustration: Morley & Toelken (1983) Flowering plants in Australia, fig. 40b & c.

Distribution:  Grows in moist areas including swamps and running water where the leaves reach their greatest lengths. S.Aust.: NL, MU, SL, KI, SE.   W.Aust.; N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   New Zealand. Conservation status: native Flowering time: Nov. — March.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Taxonomic notes: This species is retained in Montia rather than recognising Neopaxia (one of Nilssön's 9 segregate genera) until further work is completed on the relationships of the genera within the tribe Montieae. (McNeill (1975) Canad. J. Bot. 53:789-809).

Author: Not yet available