Portulaca oleracea L.

Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (3)

Portulaca oleracea

Photo: Bart Wursten
Backpackers & Overlanders Lodge, Twentydales Extn, Harare

Portulaca oleracea

Photo: Bart Wursten
Borrowdale Common

Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps

Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)

Synonyms:
Common names: Common purslane (English)
Frequency:
Status: Introduced
Description:
Prostrate, succulent annual, branches up to 30 cm. Leaves alternate, sessile, glabrous, broadly rounded, usually crowded near the ends of branches. Flowers terminal, 1-5, bright yellow, surrounded by a cluster of leaves.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name: oleracea: vegetable-garden herb used in cooking
Habitat: Gardens and disturbed places
Altitude range:
Flowering time:Nov - Mar
Worldwide distribution: Native of Europe, a cosmoplitan weed.
Mozambique distribution: MS,GI
Growth form(s):
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species: Hypolimnas misippus (Food plant)
Spot characters: Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated: Thursday 18 June 2009
Literature:

Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 303. (Includes a picture).

Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 215. (Includes a picture).

Linley, K. & Baker, B. (1972). Flowers of the Veld Bundu Series Longman Zimbabwe Page 32.

Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 68.

Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 94.

Wild, H. (1955). Common Rhodesian Weeds Government of Rhodesia, Salisbury Page 17. (Includes a picture).

Wild, H. (1961). Portulacaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(2) Pages 363 - 364.

Other sources of information about Portulaca oleracea:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Portulaca oleracea
Flora of Caprivi: Portulaca oleracea
Flora of Caprivi: cultivated Portulaca oleracea
Flora of Malawi: Portulaca oleracea
Flora of Zambia: Portulaca oleracea
Flora of Zimbabwe: Portulaca oleracea

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Portulaca oleracea
African Plant Database: Portulaca oleracea
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Portulaca oleracea
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Portulaca oleracea
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Portulaca oleracea
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Portulaca oleracea
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Portulaca oleracea
JSTOR Plant Science: Portulaca oleracea
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Portulaca oleracea
Plants of the World Online: Portulaca oleracea
Tropicos: Portulaca oleracea
Wikipedia: Portulaca oleracea


Copyright: Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings and Meg Coates Palgrave 2007-24

Hyde, M.A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. & Coates Palgrave, M. (2024). Flora of Mozambique: Species information: Portulaca oleracea.
https://www.mozambiqueflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=123210, retrieved 19 March 2024

Site software last modified: 24 September 2019 10:58am
Terms of use