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Portulaca (Latin name, of uncertain history). Portulacaceae. Purslane. Low fleshy often trailing annual or perennial herbs, one of which is a common flower-garden plant, and one of which is sometimes grown in its horticultural form as a pot-herb.
Leaves mostly alternate, thick, sometimes terete, entire: fls. mostly terminal, usually with 5 distinct petals and with several to many stamens, both borne on the calyx or receptacle-rim: fr. a small conical circum- scissile caps. (Fig. 3149). containing many small seeds. About 40 species in the tropical and temperate regions, mostly American. The fls. of portulaca open in direct sunshine, but close in shadow. Two annual species are in cult., both thriving in the hottest exposures.
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