Portulaca
Portulaca villosa Cham.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Portulacaceae
Genus:	Portulaca L.
Species
about 40-100, see text

Portulaca (pronounced /ˌpɔrtjuːˈleɪkə/,^[1] purslane) is the type genus of the purslane family Portulacaceae, comprising about 40-100 species found in the tropics and warm temperate regions. It is also sometimes known as Rose Moss or more commonly Moss Roses.

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.

Purslane can be eaten raw or cooked, and lends itself to stir fry dishes. Some say it has a slight lemon-like taste and mushroom-like texture. It is relatively easy to grow in more northern climates, including the New England area in the United States.

Selected species

• Portulaca amilis Paraguayan Purslane
• Portulaca andicola
• Portulaca bicolor Pigweed
• Portulaca biloba Cuban Purslane
• Portulaca boliviensis
• Portulaca caulerpoides Puerto Rican Purslane
• Portulaca cryptopetala
• Portulaca elatior
• Portulaca elongata
• Portulaca eruca
• Portulaca fluvialis
• Portulaca fragilis
• Portulaca gilliesii, glyphosate resistant (ca. 10 L/ha)
• Portulaca gracilis
• Portulaca grandiflora Moss-rose Purslane
• Portulaca halimoides Silkcotton Purslane
• Portulaca insularis
• Portulaca lanuginosa
• Portulaca longiusculotuberculata
• Portulaca lutea Yellow Purslane
• Portulaca molokiniensis 'Ihi
• Portulaca mucronata
• Portulaca oleracea Common Purslane or Pigweed
• Portulaca papulosa
• Portulaca pedicellata
• Portulaca perennis
• Portulaca pilosa - Shaggy Purslane
• Portulaca psammotropha
• Portulaca quadrifida Chickenweed Purslane
• Portulaca rotundifolia
• Portulaca rubricaulis Redstem Purslane
• Portulaca sclerocarpa 'Ihi Makole
• Portulaca smallii Small's Purslane
• Portulaca suffrutescens Shrubby Purslane
• Portulaca teretifolia Roundleaf Purslane
• Portulaca umbraticola Wingpod Purslane
• Portulaca villosa - Hairy Purslane or ‘Ihi

[edit] Gallery

Purslane cultivar

[edit] References

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