''Portulaca'' () is a genus of

flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...

s in the family

Portulacaceae The Portulacaceae are a family of flowering plants, comprising 115 species in a single genus '' Portulaca''. Formerly some 20 genera with about 500 species, were placed there, but it is now restricted to encompass only one genus, the other genera ...

, and is the

type genus In biological taxonomy, the type genus (''genus typica'') is the genus which defines a biological family and the root of the family name. Zoological nomenclature According to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, "The name-bearin ...

of the family. With over 100 species, it is found in the

tropics The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...

and warm

temperate In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (approximately 23.5° to 66.5° N/S of the Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ran ...

regions. Portulacas are also known as the purslanes. Common purslane ('' Portulaca oleracea'') is widely consumed as an edible plant, and in some areas it is invasive. '' Portulaca grandiflora'' is a well-known ornamental garden plant. Purslanes are relished by

chickens The chicken (''Gallus gallus domesticus'') is a domesticated subspecies of the red junglefowl (''Gallus gallus''), originally native to Southeast Asia. It was first domesticated around 8,000 years ago and is now one of the most common and w ...

. Some ''Portulaca'' species are used as food plants by the

larvae A larva (; : larvae ) is a distinct juvenile form many animals undergo before metamorphosis into their next life stage. Animals with indirect developmental biology, development such as insects, some arachnids, amphibians, or cnidarians typical ...

of some

Lepidoptera Lepidoptera ( ) or lepidopterans is an order (biology), order of winged insects which includes butterflies and moths. About 180,000 species of the Lepidoptera have been described, representing 10% of the total described species of living organ ...

species including the nutmeg moth (''Hadula trifolii''). Some Portulaca species can undergo photosynthesis using the C4 or the

CAM Cam or CAM may refer to: Science and technology * Cam (mechanism), a mechanical linkage which translates motion * Camshaft, a shaft with a cam * Camera or webcam, a device that records images or video In computing * Computer-aided manufacturin ...

light-independent pathway as required depending on environmental conditions.

Species

The following species are accepted: *'' Portulaca africana'' (Danin & H.G.Baker) Danin – Western Africa to south China *'' Portulaca almeviae'' Ocampo – Mexico *'' Portulaca amilis'' Speg. – Paraguayan purslane – Peru to Brazil and N. Argentina *'' Portulaca anceps'' A.Rich. – Ethiopia *'' Portulaca argentinensis'' Speg. – Argentina *'' Portulaca aurantiaca'' Proctor – Jamaica *'' Portulaca australis'' Endl. – N. & NE. Australia to W. Central Pacific *'' Portulaca badamica'' S.R.Yadav & Dalavi – India *'' Portulaca bicolor'' F.Muell. – Australian pigweed – Australia *'' Portulaca biloba'' Urb. – Cuban purslane – Cuba *'' Portulaca brevifolia'' Urb. – Cuba to Haiti, NW. Venezuela *'' Portulaca bulbifera'' M.G.Gilbert – Ethiopia, Kenya *'' Portulaca californica'' D.Legrand – Mexico *'' Portulaca canariensis'' Danin & Reyes-Bet. – Canary Islands *'' Portulaca cardenasiana'' D.Legrand – Puerto Rican purslane – Bolivia *'' Portulaca caulerpoides'' Britton & P.Wilson – Puerto Rico *'' Portulaca centrali-africana'' R.E.Fr. – E. DR Congo to NW. Tanzania *'' Portulaca chacoana'' D.Legrand – Paraguay to NE. Argentina *'' Portulaca ciferrii'' Chiov. – S. Somalia to SE. Kenya *'' Portulaca clavigera'' R.Geesink – Western Australia *'' Portulaca colombiana'' D.Legrand – Colombia to Venezuela *'' Portulaca commutata'' M.G.Gilbert – S. Ethiopia to N. Tanzania *'' Portulaca confertifolia'' Hauman – Argentina *'' Portulaca conoidea'' S.M.Phillips – Kenya *'' Portulaca constricta'' M.G.Gilbert – Ethiopia, Somalia *'' Portulaca conzattii'' P.Wilson – Mexico to Central America *'' Portulaca coralloides'' S.M.Phillips – Kenya *'' Portulaca cryptopetala'' Speg. – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay *'' Portulaca cubensis'' Britton & P.Wilson – Cuba *'' Portulaca cyclophylla'' F.Muell. – Western Australia *'' Portulaca cypria'' Danin – Mediterranean *'' Portulaca daninii'' Galasso, Banfi & Soldano – Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Suriname *'' Portulaca decipiens'' Poelln. – Australia *'' Portulaca decorticans'' M.G.Gilbert – Kenya, Somalia *'' Portulaca dhofarica'' M.G.Gilbert – Oman *'' Portulaca diegoi'' Mattos – Brazil *'' Portulaca digyna'' F.Muell. – Australia *'' Portulaca dodomaensis'' M.G.Gilbert – Tanzania *'' Portulaca echinosperma'' Hauman – Argentina *'' Portulaca edulis'' Danin & Bagella – Cyprus *'' Portulaca elatior'' Mart. ex Rohrb. – Caribbean to S. Tropical America *'' Portulaca elongata'' Rusby – Argentina, Bolivia, Peru *'' Portulaca eruca'' Hauman – Argentina, Paraguay *'' Portulaca erythraeae'' Schweinf. – Eritrea, Sudan *'' Portulaca fascicularis'' Peter – Kenya, Tanzania *'' Portulaca filifolia'' F.Muell. – Australia *'' Portulaca filsonii'' J.H.Willis – Australia *'' Portulaca fischeri'' Pax – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda *'' Portulaca fluvialis'' D.Legrand – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay *'' Portulaca foliosa'' Ker Gawl. – Tropical & S. Africa, Arabian Peninsula *'' Portulaca fragilis'' Poelln. – Bolivia *'' Portulaca frieseana'' Poelln. – Brazil *'' Portulaca fulgens'' Griseb. – Argentina *'' Portulaca gilliesii'' Hook. – Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay *'' Portulaca giuliettiae'' T.Vieira & A.A.Coelho – Brazil *'' Portulaca goiasensis'' T.Vieira & A.A.Coelho – Brazil *'' Portulaca gracilis'' Poelln. – Bolivia *'' Portulaca grandiflora'' Hook. – moss-rose purslane – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay *'' Portulaca grandis'' Peter – Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda *'' Portulaca granulatostellulata'' (Poelln.) Ricceri & Arrigoni – W. Europe to Caucasus; N. Africa to W. Indian ocean *'' Portulaca greenwayi'' M.G.Gilbert – Kenya *'' Portulaca guanajuatensis'' Ocampo – Mexico *'' Portulaca halimoides'' L. – silkcotton purslane – Central & S. U.S. to Tropical America *'' Portulaca hatschbachii'' D.Legrand – Brazil *'' Portulaca hereroensis'' Schinz – Tanzania to S. Africa *'' Portulaca heterophylla'' Peter – Tanzania *'' Portulaca hirsutissima'' Cambess. – Brazil *'' Portulaca hoehnei'' D.Legrand – Brazil *'' Portulaca howellii'' (D.Legrand) Eliasson – Galápagos *'' Portulaca humilis'' Peter – Tanzania *'' Portulaca impolita'' (Danin & H.G.Baker) Danin – U.S. *'' Portulaca insignis'' Steyerm. – Venezuela *'' Portulaca intraterranea'' J.M.Black – Australia *'' Portulaca johnstonii'' Henrickson – Mexico *'' Portulaca juliomartinezii'' Ocampo – Mexico *'' Portulaca kermesina'' N.E.Br. – Eritrea to S. Africa, Arabian Peninsula *'' Portulaca kuriensis'' M.G.Gilbert – Socotra *'' Portulaca lakshminarasimhaniana'' S.R.Yadav & Dalavi – India *'' Portulaca lutea'' Sol. ex G.Forst. – yellow purslane – Pacific *'' Portulaca macbridei'' D.Legrand – Peru *'' Portulaca macrantha'' Ricceri & Arrigoni – Canary Islands, Morocco *'' Portulaca macrorhiza'' R.Geesink – Lesser Sunda Islands *'' Portulaca macrosperma'' D.Legrand – Bolivia *'' Portulaca masonii'' D.Legrand – Mexico *'' Portulaca massaica'' S.M.Phillips – Kenya, Tanzania *'' Portulaca matthewsii'' Ocampo – Mexico *'' Portulaca mauritiensis'' Poelln. – Chagos Archipelago, Mascarenes *'' Portulaca mexicana'' P.Wilson – Mexico *'' Portulaca meyeri'' D.Legrand – Argentina *'' Portulaca minensis'' D.Legrand – Brazil *'' Portulaca minuta'' Correll – Florida, Bahamas *'' Portulaca molokiniensis'' Hobdy – Hawaiian Islands *'' Portulaca monanthoides'' Lodé – Socotra *'' Portulaca mucronata'' Link – Bolivia, Paraguay, Venezuela *'' Portulaca mucronulata'' D.Legrand – Argentina, Brazil *'' Portulaca nicaraguensis'' (Danin & H.G.Baker) Danin – Florida, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Texas *'' Portulaca nitida'' (Danin & H.G.Baker) Ricceri & Arrigoni – Europe to Central Asia, N. Africa *'' Portulaca nivea'' Poelln. – Peru *'' Portulaca nogalensis'' Chiov. – Somalia *'' Portulaca oblonga'' Peter – Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania *'' Portulaca obtusa'' Poelln. – Argentina *'' Portulaca obtusifolia'' D.Legrand – Argentina *'' Portulaca okinawensis'' E.Walker & Tawada – Ryukyu Islands *'' Portulaca oleracea'' L. – common purslane, pigweed – Macaronesia, Tropical Africa, Mediterranean to Pakistan and Arabian Peninsula *'' Portulaca oligosperma'' F.Muell. – Australia *'' Portulaca olosirwa'' S.M.Phillips – Kenya *'' Portulaca papillatostellulata'' (Danin & H.G.Baker) Danin – Europe to Mediterranean *'' Portulaca papulifera'' D.Legrand – Argentina *'' Portulaca papulosa'' Schltdl. – Argentina, Uruguay *'' Portulaca paucistaminata'' Poelln. – Cuba *'' Portulaca perennis'' R.E.Fr. – Argentina, Bolivia, Peru *'' Portulaca peteri'' Poelln. – Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania *'' Portulaca philippii'' I.M.Johnst. – Bolivia, Chile *'' Portulaca pilosa'' L. – shaggy purslane – Hawaiian Islands, southern U.S.A. to Tropical & Subtropical S.America *'' Portulaca psammotropha'' Hance – Southern China to Philippines *'' Portulaca pusilla'' Kunth – Colombia, Venezuela *'' Portulaca pygmaea'' Steyerm. – Colombia, Venezuela *'' Portulaca quadrifida'' L. – chickenweed purslane – Tropical & Subtropical Old World to SW. Pacific *'' Portulaca ragonesei'' D.Legrand – Argentina *'' Portulaca ramosa'' Peter – Tanzania *'' Portulaca rausii'' Danin – Mediterranean *'' Portulaca rhodesiana'' R.A.Dyer & E.A.Bruce – South Africa, Zimbabwe *'' Portulaca rotundifolia'' R.E.Fr. – Argentina, Bolivia *'' Portulaca rubricaulis'' Kunth – redstem purslane – SE. Mexico, Florida to Caribbean, Venezuela to Ecuador *'' Portulaca rzedowskiana'' Ocampo – Mexico *'' Portulaca samhaensis'' A.G.Mill. – Socotra *'' Portulaca samoensis'' Poelln. – New Guinea to SW. Pacific *'' Portulaca sanctae-martae'' Poelln. – Colombia *'' Portulaca sardoa'' Danin, Bagella & Marrosu – Corsica, Sardinia *'' Portulaca saxifragoides'' Welw. ex Oliv. – Angola *'' Portulaca sclerocarpa'' A.Gray – Ihi makole – Hawaiian Islands *'' Portulaca sedifolia'' N.E.Br. – French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela *'' Portulaca sedoides'' Welw. ex Oliv. – Angola *'' Portulaca sicula'' Danin, Domina & Raimondo – Sicilia *'' Portulaca smallii'' P.Wilson – Small's purslane – Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia *'' Portulaca socotrana'' Domina & Raimondo – Socotra *'' Portulaca somalica'' N.E.Br. – Somalia *'' Portulaca stellulatotuberculata'' Poelln. – Paraguay *'' Portulaca stuhlmannii'' Poelln. – Tanzania *'' Portulaca suffrutescens'' Engelm. – shrubby purslane – Arizona, Mexico, New Mexico, Texas *'' Portulaca suffruticosa'' Wight – India, Sri Lanka *'' Portulaca sundaensis'' Poelln. – Lesser Sunda Islands *'' Portulaca thellusonii'' Lindl. – Brazil *'' Portulaca tingoensis'' J.F.Macbr. – Argentina, Peru *'' Portulaca trianthemoides'' Bremek. – Limpopo *'' Portulaca trituberculata'' Danin, Domina & Raimondo – Canary Islands, E. Central Europe to Mediterranean *'' Portulaca tuberculata'' León – Cuba, Cayman Islands *'' Portulaca tuberosa'' Roxb. – Indian subcontinent to N. Australia *'' Portulaca umbraticola'' Kunth – wingpod purslane – Mexico to Tropical America *'' Portulaca werdermannii'' Poelln. – Brazil *'' Portulaca wightiana'' Wall. ex Wight & Arn. – South Africa to Ethiopia, India, Sri Lanka *'' Portulaca yecorensis'' Henrickson & T.Van Devender – Mexico *'' Portulaca zaffranii'' Danin – Mediterranean

Formerly placed here

*'' Anacampseros arachnoides'' (Haw.) Sims (as ''P. arachnoides'' Haw.) * ''Anacampseros filamentos''a subsp. ''filamentosa'' (as ''P. filamentosa'' Haw.) * ''Anacampseros lanceolata'' subsp. ''lanceolata'' (as ''P. lanceolata'' Haw.) *'' Anacampseros rufescens'' (Haw.) Sweet (as ''P. rufescens'' Haw.) *'' Anacampseros telephiastrum'' DC. (as ''P. anacampseros'' L.) *''

Sesuvium portulacastrum ''Sesuvium portulacastrum'' is a sprawling perennial herb in the family Aizoaceae that grows in coastal and mangrove areas throughout much of the world. It grows in sandy clay, coastal limestone and sandstone, tidal flats and salt marshes, throug ...

'' (L.) L. (as ''P. portulacastrum'' L.) *''

Talinum fruticosum ''Talinum fruticosum'' is a herbaceous perennial plant that is native to Mexico, the Caribbean, West Africa, Central America, and much of South America. Common names include Ceylon spinach, waterleaf, cariru, Gbure, Surinam purslane, Philippine s ...

'' (L.) Juss. (as ''P. fruticosa'' L. or ''P. triangularis'' Jacq.) *'' Talinum paniculatum'' (Jacq.) Gaertn. (as ''P. paniculata'' Jacq. or ''P. patens'' L.)

Gallery

Portulaca sativa 01.jpg, ''Purslane'' cultivar Portulaca flowers 01.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 02.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 03.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 04.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 05.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 06.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 07.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 08.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 09.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 10.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 11.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 12.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 13.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers 14.jpg, Portulaca flowers Portulaca flowers.jpg, Portulaca flowers

References

{{Authority control Caryophyllales genera