Portulaca oleracea
Family: Portulacaceae
Plant Description: Annual with prostrate or upright stems to 30 cm or longer. Leaves 5-25 mm long, spatulate or obovate, fleshy, alternate. Flowers radial, solitary or in clusters at the stem tips. Petals 3-6 mm long, yellow.
Field Identification: Typical purslane habitat. Thick, pinkish stems. Yellow flowers blooming on the morning. Mat-forming.
Plant Trivia: Difficult to eliminate from gardens. Capsules splitting around the equator of the seed capsule.
Occurrence: Common on sand or sometimes heavier soils. Common weed of fields, gardens, and disturbed areas.
Bloom Period: April-December
Plant Use: Said to be edible and is sometimes used in salads. However, leaves of this species can be dangerous if eaten in quantity.
Key to the Genus Portulaca:
- Leaves linear……………………………………………………..P. pilosa
Leaves not linear……………………………………………………………2
2. Rim of capsule winged………………………P. umbraticola
Rim of capsule not winged……………………..P. oleracea
