Moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora)
Description
Portulaca grandiflora, is a succulent flowering plant in the family Portulacaceae, native to Argentina, southern Brazil, and Uruguay and often cultivated in gardens. It has many common names, including rose moss, ten o'clock, Mexican rose, moss rose, Vietnam Rose, sun rose, rock rose, and moss-rose purslane. It is also seen in South Asia and widely spread in most of the cities with old 18th- and 19th-century architecture in the Balkans. In Pakistan it is called Gul Dopheri, meaning After Noon Flower, as flowers bloom whole after noon in summer's heat. In Bangladesh, it is called "time fuul", meaning "time flower", because the flower has a specific time to bloom. In India, it is called "nau bajiya" or "9 o'clock flower" as it blooms in morning around 9:00 am. In the Philippines, it is called uru-alas dose or like twelve o'clock because it loses its bloom by noon. In Vietnam, it is called "hoa mười giờ" meaning "ten o'clock flower", because the flower is usually in full bloom at 10:00 in the morning. Its buds are often chewed by small birds like the house sparrow. It is a small, but fast-growing annual plant growing to 30 cm tall, though usually less. However if it is cultivated properly it can easily reach this height. The leaves are thick and fleshy, up to 2.5 cm long, arranged alternately or in small clusters. The flowers are 2.5–3 cm diameter with five petals, variably red, orange, pink, white, and yellow.
Taxonomic tree
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Domain: Eukarya
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Kingdom: Plantae
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Phylum: Magnoliophyta
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Class: Magnoliopsida
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Order: Caryophyllales
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Family: Portulacaceae
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Genus: Portulaca
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