Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Description
Portulaca oleracea (common purslane, also known as verdolaga, red root, or pursley) is an annual succulent in the family Portulacaceae, which may reach 40 centimetres (16 in) in height. Approximately forty cultivars are currently grown. It has an extensive distribution, assumed to be mostly anthropogenic, throughout the Old World extending from North Africa and Southern Europe through the Middle East and the Indian Subcontinent to Malesia and Australasia. The species status in the New World is uncertain: in general, it is often considered an exotic weed, however, there is evidence that the species was in Crawford Lake deposits (Ontario) in 1350-1539, suggesting that it reached North America in the pre-Columbian era. Scientists suggested that the plant was eaten by native Americans, who spread its seeds. How it reached the New World is currently unknown. It has smooth, reddish, mostly prostrate stems and the leaves may be alternate or opposite are clustered at stem joints and ends.[4] The yellow flowers have five regular parts and are up to 6 millimetres (0.24 in) wide. Depending upon rainfall, the flowers appear at any time during the year. The flowers open singly at the center of the leaf cluster for only a few hours on sunny mornings. Seeds are formed in a tiny pod, which opens when the seeds are mature. Purslane has a taproot with fibrous secondary roots and is able to tolerate poor compacted soils and drought.
Taxonomic tree
-
Domain: Eukarya
-
-
Kingdom: Plantae
-
-
Phylum: Magnoliophyta
-
-
Class: Magnoliopsida
-
-
Order: Caryophyllales
-
-
Family: Portulacaceae
-
-
Genus: Portulaca
-
-
-
-
-
-
