Sesuvium maritimum, (Walter) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb., Prelim. Cat.

Bohley, Katharina, Winter, Pieter J. D. & Kadereit, Gudrun, 2017, Data from: A revision of Sesuvium (Aizoaceae, Sesuvioideae), Data in brief 48 (1), pp. 109071-109071 : 137-138

SESUVIUM MARITIMUM (Walter) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb., Prelim. Cat. : 20. 1888.

Pharnaceum maritimum Walter, Fl. Carol. [Walter]: 117. 1788.

Sesuoium pentandrum Elliott, Sketch Bot. S. Carolina [Elliott] 1 (6): 556. 1821.

Mollugo maritima (Walter) Ser. ex DC. in Prodr. [A. P. de Candolle] 1: 393. 1824.— TYPE: U. S. A. South Carolina, Georgetown County: Yawkey Wildlife Center, Mosquito Creek drainage on S Island, 28 Jul 1987, Nelson 5850 (neotype: USCH, USCH0000001 digital image!, designated by Ward (2008).

Slender procumbent to ascending, annual herb with sparse bladder cells on leaves and internodes; forming mats up to 60 cm in diam; internodes pale when dry. Leaves up to 27 mm long, oblanceolate, flat, and hardly succulent; petiole up to 7 mm long. Flowers sessile, 3–6 mm long, usually white, often numerous; bracts in one pair, ∼ 1 mm long, lanceolate. Stamens 5, often pink. Ovary with 3–5 carpels and the same number of free styles. Seeds numerous, 0.8–0.9 mm long, and reniform, with a smooth, black, dark brown or grey, sometimes slightly dull seed coat.

Distribution and Habitat — This species is found on the Bahamas, in Belize, Cuba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, St. Barthelemy, and the U. S. A. (FL, LA, MD, NJ, NC, OK, SC, TX) ( Fig. 9). Plants grow in coastal regions (beaches, mangroves, marshes) and also in disturbed areas. They are always found in saline conditions, usually on sandy or loamy soil.

Vernacular Names — Slender sea purslane.

Note — Some floras also report the occurrence of individuals with two carpels (e.g. Ferren Jr. in FNA [ Vivrette et al. 2003]).

Representative Specimens Examined — BAHAMAS. Eleuthera: Cape Eleuthera, 15 May 1975; D. S. Correll & S. R. Hill 45296 ( BRIT, MO); Great Inagua: E end of Maroon Hill, along shore of Lake Rosa, 04 Jun 1974, G. R. Proctor & W. T. Gillis 33944 ( B, MO); ca. 1.6 km O of Matthew Town, ca. 20°57′0.208″N, 73°38′58.549″W, 01 Mar 1974, D. S. Correll 41688 ( LL, MO); just NE of Matthew Town, near Horse Pond, ca. 20°57′ 21.877″N, 73°40′1.552″W, 31 Jul 1975, D. S. Correll 45807 ( BRIT); Little Exuma: Cooper's Farm, Forbes Hill, ca. 23°27′40.6″N, 75°39′8.841″W, 09 Mar 1976, D. S. Correll & H. B. Correll 46903 ( MO).

BELIZE. Belize: Crooked tree, near Crooked Tree Lagoon, ca. 17°46′ 45.62″N, 88°31′53.173″W, 14 Jun 1993, M. A. Vincent et al. 5950 ( MO). Corozal Distr.: Cerros Maya Ruins, Lowry's Bight, ca. 18°21′30.2220″N, 88°21′09.9324″W, 11 Apr 1983, C. J. Crane 541 ( BRIT, MO, LL).

CUBA. Isle of Pine: Caleta Cocodrilos, ca. 21°30′14.493″N, 83°6′0.874″ W, 08 Mar 1916, N. L. Britton et al. 15308 ( MO); Pinar del Rio, Central Orozco (between Cabanas and Bahia Honda), near “manglares”, ca. 22°58′41.48″N, 83°0′45.881″W, 25 Mar 1920, E. L. Ekman 10569 ( UPS).

FRENCH OVERSEAS COLLECTIVITY. Saint Barthélemy: Ilot de Frégate, ca. 17°56′24.3348″N, 62°50′00.6504″W, 30 May 1951, C. de Gallo 47 ( WAG).

MEXICO. Colima: Manzanillo, near shore, W side of bay, ca. 8.9 km WNW of city, ca. 19°6′16.563″N, 104°24′3.816″W, 11 Jul 1956, D. P. Gregory & G. Eiten 316 ( BRIT, MO). Guerrero: Mun. Petatlán, Laguna Carrizal, 17°34′06″N, 101°25′52″W, 10 Jan 1995, L. Lozada 1887 ( MEXU). Jalisco: Chamela-Cuixmala biosphere reserve, Cuixmala, highway Puerto Vallarta-Manzanillo, km 45, 19°23.549'N, 105°00.206'W, 01 Sep 1998, M. Bueno 12 ( TEX); Rancho Cuixmala, lagoons along road to Casa Jeanette, near Brignoni plot boundary, 19°23'N, 105°01'W; 14 May 1991, E. J. Scott et al. 3593 ( CAS). Veracruz: (La) Tunilla 13 km from Tlacotalpan, ca. 18°42′23.9724″N, 95°38′38.2884″W, 07 Aug 1971, A. Lot 1408 ( MEXU, MO, TEX).

PUERTO RICO. Icacos Island, ca. 18°23′11.828″N, 65°35′19.863″W, 12 Jul 1966, R. A. Hoaeard et al. 16130 ( S).

U. S. A. Florida, Brevard County: Merritt Island, Indian River, A. H. Curtiss 350 ( B, MO); Citrus County: coast at Fort Gulf Beach, W of Crystal River, 20 Apr 1980, C. F. Reed 115008 ( MO); Franklin County: St. Vincent Island, National Wildlife Refuge, 29°40′54.174″N, 85°6′26.305″W, 22 May 1987, L. C. Anderson 10600 ( BRIT, MO); Lee County: Central Sanibel, pond shores; Sea Oats subdivision, 06 Mar 1976, W. C. Brumbach 8936 ( BRIT); Martin County: between causeway to Stuart Beach and House of Refuge, 15 Aug 1972, R. Kral 48058 ( MO); Monroe County: Key West, 10 Apr 1896, A. H. Curtiss 5619 ( MO, Z); Wakulla County: St. Marks Wildlife Refuge, near lighthouse, ca. 30°4′24.589″N, 84°10′46.589″W, 15 Jul 1962, R. K. Godfrey 62387 ( CAS, TEX); vicinity of Shell Point, ca. 30°3′11.8″N, 84°17′4.725″W, 09 Jun 1960, R. K. Godfrey 59722b ( BRIT). Georgia, Glynn County: ca. 2.7 km NW of St. Simons, 31°10′51.376″N, 81°24′23.871″W, 12 Jun 1974, W. H. Duncan 29056 ( TEX). Kansas, Barber County: 1.6 km S and 3.2 km E of Hazelton, dry bed of a saline creek, 37°4′28.167″N, 98°21′56.685″W, 24 Sep 1986, R. L. McGregor 37818 ( TEX). Louisiana, Cameron Parish: marsh S of Cameron near McNeese State University Field Station, ca. 29°46′8.054″N, 93°20′28.161″W, 29 Oct 1982, R. D. Thomas et al. 82484 ( BRIT); Jefferson Parish: Grand Island, near E end of island road, 29°15′59.072″N, 89°57′10.054″W, 11 Nov 1966, J. W. Thieret 25235 ( LL); Terrebonne Parish: S of Point Chen, ca. 29°24′13.363″N, 90°28′20.683″W, 27 Jun 1970, R. D. Thomas et al. 19691 ( BRIT, MO). Maryland, Worcester County: Assateague Island, ca. 38°5′21.029″N, 75°12′10.04″W, 27 Aug 1955, C. F. Reed 36759 ( MJG, MO). New Jersey, Atlantic County: Brigantine Beach ( N end), 39°25′23.516″N, 74°22′3.565″W, 26 Aug 1935, J. M. Fogg Jr. 9557 ( MO); Cape May County: Cape May, sandy beach, ca. 38°56′6.338″N, 74°53′51.903″W, 28 Jul 1874, C. F. Parker s. n. ( UPS); Ocean City, ca. 39°16′25.4172″N, 74°34′20.8164″W, 05 Aug 1882, AC s. n. ( MO). North Carolina, Brunswick County: Southport, waste land along waterfront, ca. 33°55′22.389″N, 78°0′22.827″W, 06 Oct 1969, S. W. Leonard & D. B. Russ 2489 ( B, CAS, MO, S, TEX, Z); Carteret County: beach access area to more Morehead City channel between Morehead City and Beaufort off Rt. 70, ca. 34°43′18.001″N, 76°41′9.999″W, 18 Aug 1998, J. Stone & D. Holland 1526 ( BRIT); Dare County: Hatteras, 03 Aug 1966, A. E. Radford 45105 ( BRIT). Texas, Cameron County: Boca Chica, along coast, 01 May 1937, R. Runyon 1653 ( BRIT).

Notes — The very similar species S. trianthemoides differs from S. maritimum in having an ovary of only 2 carpels and styles and slightly larger seeds with a stronger seed coat texture.