Portulaca intraterranea, the large pigweed, is a succulent herb native to deserts of central Australia.
The leaves are succulent, with flowers 2.5–3.5 cm wide.Low, T., Wild Food Plants of Australia, 1988. Aboriginal Australians eat the thick tap-root which tastes like potato.Like most plants in the portulacaceae family they use belatins instead of antocyanins. Their leaves are thick usually 0.25 cm-0.75 cm to store water.
Their leaves have to ability switch between C4 and CAM photosynthesis. This helps them grow fast and survive drought.
The flowers have 5-6 petals and usually 4 stamens though that can change through mutations. Their placental structure is free central.
The roots are thick taproots used to access moister soil below the surface. Their stem has a thin cuticle followed by bundle of unspecialised parenchyma cells.After that is the phloem and in the centre the xylem.
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