Character

Purslane

Botanical Name: Portulaca Oleracea Common Names: Pigweed, little Hogweed, Fatweed, Pusley, Wild Portulaca, and Verdolaga Description: The alternate leaves are clustered at stem joints. The individual leaves are quite fleshy, storing lots of water when available. Each flat green leaf is oval to spoon-shaped, broadest near the rounded tip, and without any indentations along the often reddish margin. They rarely have petioles and are attached directly to the stems. Plants will flower whenever moisture is sufficient. The ¼ – ½ inch wide yellow flowers have five (sometimes four) notched petals, numerous yellow stamens, and several pistils that are bunched together in the center. They typically open only on hot, sunny days from midmorning to early afternoon. The flowers occur in leaf axils at the stem joints or terminally, with just a single one opening in each leaf cluster at a time.