Portulaca
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Portulaca".

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Portulaca
Portulaca villosa Cham.
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 (purslane) is the type genus of the purslane family Portulacaceae, comprising about 40-100 species (probably much fewer and potentially far far more) 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

Gallery

Purslane cultivar
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