Miner's Lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata ssp. perfoliata) Login         


        Description
  • Height 1" to 16"
  • CA Bloom Feb - May
  • Look for small white 5-petaled flowers above a round leaf.
  • It's abundant in moist shady places, especially under redwoods.
  • The leaves are edible, and were eaten by early miners.
  • CA native
  • AKA Claytonia
  • Pussypaws Family (Montiaceae)



A cluster of small white flowers emerge from the center of a leaf that surrounds the stem.



Basal leaves have long stalks, and a pointed flat part at the end.



Two fleshy leaves near the top of each stem fuse to make a circle.

   Photo Gallery (38 ) click any picture to enlarge
    

Mature Miner's Lettuce has two kinds of leaves: [[Basal]] leaves have a spatula-shaped [[blade]] at the end of a long stalk. In addition, two fl ...

Miner's Lettuce does well in cool damp environments. It is found from Alaska to Central America, but is most common in California.

Up to 40 small flowers grow above the round leaf. Notice the single [[bract]], leaf-like but much smaller than the round leaf, at the base of the [ ...

The round fused leaf is fleshy and contains oxalic acid, making it taste lemony. It was used by early miners, which gives it its common name.

These flowers have gone to seed. Birds eat the seeds and ants carry them to their nest for food.