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Species
Portulaca oleracea L.
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
Common Purslane is a common plant that occurs in every county of Illinois. It was introduced into the United States from Europe as early as the 17th century and was used as a potherb or salad herb. The seeds of Common Purslane have been observed at some archeological sites in North America, including the remnants of an Amerindian village in Oklahoma that is 5,000 years old. Such findings, if true, would indicate that Common Purslane is also native to the New World, in which case it may be adventive in Illinois from the southwestern United States. However, it's possible that the seeds of the archeological sites are from another species of Purslane that is native to the southwest. Habitats of Common Purslane include rocky bluffs, cropland, gardens, nursery plots, barnyards, cracks in sidewalks and pavement, and waste areas with sterile soil. This plant prefers disturbed areas, and is common in run-down areas of cities.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Copyright © 2002-2014 by Dr. John Hilty |
Source | http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/purslane.htm |
Plants annual, glabrous; taproot 2-10 cm. Stems prostrate, succulent; trichomes at nodes and in inflorescence absent or inconspicuous; branches to 56 cm. Leaf blades obovate or spatulate, flattened, 4-28 × 2-13 mm, apex round to retuse or nearly truncate; involucrelike leaves 1-4. Flowers 3-10 mm diam.; petals yellow, oblong, 3-4.6 × 1.8-3 mm; stamens 6-12(-20); stigmas 3-6. Capsules ovoid, 4-9 mm diam. Seeds black or dark brown, orbiculate or elongate, flattened, 0.6-1.1 mm; surface cells ± smooth, granular, or stellate, with rounded tubercles. 2n = 18, 36, 54.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | eFloras.org Copyright © Missouri Botanical Garden |
Source | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200007020 |
Flowering and fruiting: June-September
Canada
Origin: Exotic
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Unknown/Undetermined
Confidence: Confident
United States
Origin: Exotic
Regularity: Regularly occurring
Currently: Unknown/Undetermined
Confidence: Confident
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Portulaca+oleracea |
"Annual herb, glabrous, fleshy with numerous decumbent branches, to 35 cm long. Leaves spiral or subopposite, often crowded at ends of branches, sessile or subsessile, obovate or spatulate to linear-oblong, cuneate or attenuate at base, rounded or truncate at apex, 1-3 x 0.2-1.5 cm; stipular hairs very few, inconspicuous, ca 1 mm long, caducous. Flowers sessile, ca 3 mm across, terminal, 1-15, surrounded by a cluster of crowded leaves; bracts ovate-acuminate, to 3 mm long, membranous. Sepals connate at base into a ca 2 mm long tube; lobes oblong-ovate, keeled or slightly winged on back, 2-4 mm long. Petals 4 or 5, connate at base, broadly obovate or oblong-obovate, rarely emarginate at apex, 4-8 x 2-6 mm, yellow. Stamens 7-12(-15); filaments to 4 mm long. Ovary ovoid; style short, to 5 mm long with 3-6 subulate lobes. Capsules obovoid to ovoid, 4-5 x ca 3 mm, enveloped by marcescent corolla, dehiscing transversely in middle; seeds many, reniform, 0.5-1mm across, granular, dull black."
Flowering late spring-early fall.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | eFloras.org Copyright © Missouri Botanical Garden |
Source | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=200007020 |
Global Range: According to Weakley (unpublished draft Jan. 2006) Portulaca oleracea is apparently native to Asia.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | NatureServe |
Source | http://explorer.natureserve.org/servlet/NatureServe?searchName=Portulaca+oleracea |
"Habit: A small, prostrate herb, upto 30cm."
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | Keystone Foundation, India Biodiversity Portal |
Source | http://indiabiodiversity.org/species/show/33264 |
Fl. Per. Flowers open in morning throughout the year.
License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/ |
Rights holder/Author | eFloras.org Copyright © Missouri Botanical Garden |
Source | http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=5&taxon_id=200007020 |
"Maharashtra: Pune, Satara Karnataka: Mysore"