Purslane

(Portulaca oleracea)

 

   

 

 

Color Photograph: Copyright Nearctica.com, Inc.

Line Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An Illustrated Flora of the Northern United States and Canada, Second Edition.

 

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.)

Alien: Native of Europe.

Identification: Flower yellow with 5 (rarely 6) petals. Flower located in the center or an irrengular rosette of leaves. Seed capsule globular with several black seeds, the top coming off when mature. Leaves succulent, paddle-shaped, arranged in irregular rosettes. Stem crawling along the ground.

Distribution: Throughout North America.

Habitat: Purslane is a weed found in a variety of disturbed habitats, but commonly found in lawns, and in the the cracks of sidewalks and parking lots.

Flowering period: June to October.

Similar Species: The succulent, paddle-shaped leaves, the small, yellow flowers in the center of the rosettes, and the habitat are distinctive features of Purslane.

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