Portulaca

Portulaca
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Portulacaceae
Genus: Portulaca
L.[1]
Species

see text

Synonyms[2]
  • Halimus P.Browne
  • Lemia Vand.
  • Merida Neck.
  • Meridiana L.f.
  • Sedopsis (Engl.) Exell & Mendonça

Portulaca (/ˌpɔːrtjˈlkə/[3]) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Portulacaceae, and is the type genus of the family. With over 100 species, it is found in the tropics and warm temperate regions. Portulacas are also known as the purslanes.

Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is widely consumed as an edible plant, and in some areas it is invasive. Portulaca grandiflora is a well-known ornamental garden plant. Purslanes are relished by chickens. Some Portulaca species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the nutmeg moth (Hadula trifolii).

Species

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Portulaca 'All Aglow'
Portulaca grandiflora 'Bicolor'
1889 portulaca seed ad by D. M. Ferry & Company of Detroit
A large array of Portulaca umbraticola and Portulaca oleracea (middle right)
Pickled purslane stems consumed in Armenia

The following species are accepted:[2]

Formerly placed here

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References

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  1. ^ "Genus: Portulaca L." Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 1998-04-28. Archived from the original on 2011-07-21. Retrieved 2011-03-04.
  2. ^ a b "Portulaca L." Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Portulaca". Oxford English Dictionary (Online ed.). Oxford University Press. (Subscription or participating institution membership required.)