Sesuvium portulacastrum

shoreline seapurslane

A common plant on seashores from regions tropical to mildly temperate, shoreline seapurslane is a tasty treat. The plant stores the salt it picks up from the sandy soil in its leaves, making it a crisp, salty addition to salads. Native Americans ate the leaves raw or cooked them in a few changes of water to reduce the saltiness before eating them. Several animals, including sheep, goats, and camels, enjoy grazing the plant, living testimony by these most discerning of herbivores to its delectability. In addition to being tasty, the plant can also help combat scurvy in case you find yourself shipwrecked on a deserted island. The seeds and plant have also been eaten as a vermifuge on a number of Caribbean islands. The abundance of parasitic creatures of all kinds that like to make homes in human bodies is certainly one of the major trade-offs one makes to live in a moist tropical environment. The plant is considered effective for treatment of toxic fish stings. In Argentina, a decoction of the plant serves to treat liver, bladder, and kidney problems.

Shoreline seapurslane contains a significant amount of ecdysterone, which is important in the molting process for insects and crustaceans, which often feed upon the plant. Interestingly, there have been claims that this compound contributes to muscle gain, so it has found its whey into bodybuilding supplements, despite scientific study that discredits efficacy of the compound for this purpose.

The plant plays a major role in early dune development in its native range, since it both stabilizes the sandy substrate and causes sand to fall from the air by slowing breezes just enough with its leaves for this to happen.