Portulaca

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Read about Portulaca in the Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture 

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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Portulaca
Portulaca villosa Cham.
Portulaca villosa Cham.
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Portulacaceae
Genus: Portulaca L.

Species
about 40-100, see text

Portulaca (purslane) is the type genus of the purslane family Portulacaceae, comprising about 40-100 species (probably much fewer and potentially far far more) found in the tropics and warm temperate regions. It is also sometimes known as Rose Moss.

Common Purslane Portulaca oleracea is widely considered an edible plant, and in some areas an invasive type of weed. Some Portulaca species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including The Nutmeg.

Selected species

Gallery

  • Purslane cultivar

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