Portulaca oleracea L.

M. Thulin et al. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1-4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Morphology General Habit

Annual herb, stems usually spreading or prostrate, up to 30 cm long, often reddish

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate to subopposite, obovate/spathulate to ± oblong, up to 30 x 12 mm, base ± attenuate into obscure petiole, tip rounded; axils with a few inconspicuous hairs to 1 mm long, often soon lost

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers up to 5 together within involucre of leaf-like bracts and an inner whorl of triangular scales, often apparently lateral or in fork of branch because of overtopping by later growth

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 2–4 mm long, fleshy, keeled or ± winged near tips

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals 5, dull yellow, 4–8 mm long, tip rounded

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 7–12

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Stigma

Stigma 3–6-lobed

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule ovoid to obovoid, splitting near or just below middle; lid hemispherical, usually with narrow, more strongly veined extension at tip which retains a few seeds within it

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds many, c. 1 mm long, glossy black with no metallic sheen; testa cells conspicuously stellate, dorsal cells usually with conspicuous ± swollen-tipped peg-like tubercles.

Portulacaceae, Sylvia M. Phillips. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 2002

Morphology General Habit

Prostrate, much-branched, succulent annual forming a spreading mat, or infrequently ascending, stems and leaves green or flushed red.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate, subopposite on the branchlets, narrowly obovate to spatulate, 5–30 mm long, 3–10 mm wide, apex rounded, cuneate to a petiole 1–3 mm long; axillary hairs 0.6–1 mm long, inconspicuous, old stems glabrescent.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences

Flowers in sessile clusters of 3–8 at the branch tips, encircled by several involucral leaves enclosing ovate-cuspidate scales, frequently overtopped by subsequent growth from the axils of the lower two involucral leaves, the flower-cluster thus seated in a fork, flowers opening in the morning.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Sepals (2.5–)3–4.5(–5.5) mm long, crested and winged along the midline upwards; petals 5, yellow (very rarely pale pink), 3–8 mm long, emarginate to bilobed; stamens 7–12; stigma 3–6-branched.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule dehiscing just below the middle, lid conical, chartaceous, constricted 2/3 up, the apical portion thinner, nipple-like and retaining 1 or more seeds above the constriction; seeds orbicular-reniform, 0.65–1 mm long, black, testa cells stellate, often also tuberculate and/or papillose.

Habitat

Open places in short grassland and bushland, and a weed of cultivations and disturbed places, especially on sandy soils; 0–2350 m

Distribution

K1 K2 K3 K4 K6 K7 P T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 T7 a cosmopolitan weed of warm climates

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular

paliaría, verdolaga, yerbepollo

Portulacaceae, H. Wild. Flora Zambesiaca 1:2. 1961

Morphology General Habit

Annual glabrous rather fleshy herb with numerous spreading or prostrate branches up to 30 cm. long and up to 5 mm. in diam.

Morphology Leaves

Leaves alternate and often somewhat crowded towards the ends of the branches, sessile or shortly stalked, up to 3·0 × 1·2 cm., obovate-spathulate, apex rounded or truncate; stipular hairs very few, inconspicuous, caducous, c. 1 mm. long.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers terminal, solitary or up to 5, surrounded by a cluster of subverticillate leaves; bracts membranous, c. 3 mm. long, ovate-acuminate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx

Sepals 2–4 mm. long, united below into a tube c. 2 mm. long, free portions fleshy, oblong-ovate, keeled or slightly winged.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Corolla

Petals yellow, 4–8 mm. long, united at the base, obovate-oblong to obovate, sometimes emarginate.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens

Stamens 7–12.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Pistil

Ovary ovoid; style short, with 3–6 subulate lobes.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits

Capsule obovoid to ovoid, enveloped in the marcescent corolla, transversely dehiscent across the middle.

Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds

Seeds many, c. 0·5 mm. in diam., dull black, reniform, bluntly verrucose-granulate.

Portulacaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit

Common annual ruderal, with spreading or prostrate succulent branches

Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers

Flowers bright yellow.

Distribution

Biogeografic region: Amazonia, Andean, Guiana Shield, Caribbean, Orinoquia, Pacific. Elevation range: 0–2550 m a.s.l. Naturalised in Colombia. Colombian departments: Amazonas, Antioquia, Bogotá DC, Bolívar, Caquetá, Casanare, Chocó, Córdoba, Cundinamarca, Guainía, Guaviare, La Guajira, Magdalena, Meta, Nariño, Putumayo, San Andrés y Providencia, Tolima, Valle del Cauca.

Habit

Herb.

Conservation

IUCN Red List Assessment (2021): LC.

Ecology

Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, native grassland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.

Vernacular

Anu wan u, Verdolaga