cultivated purslane

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• cultivated purslane
• garden portulaca
• garden purslane
• moss-rose
• rose-moss
• Moss-rose Purslane
• Mexican-rose
• eleven-o'clock
• sunplant
• Bunga Pukul Sembilan
• Mexican rose
• Vietnam rose
• moss rose
• rose moss
• rose-moss-of-garden
• sun rose
• ten o'clock

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Portulaca pilosa var. grandiflora
• Portulaca pilosa subsp. grandiflora

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and is classified under the phylum Streptophyta and class Equisetopsida. Within the subclass Magnoliidae, it is placed in the order Caryophyllales and the family Portulacaceae. Finally, it is identified by the genus Portulaca, specifically as the species Portulaca grandiflora.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a wide geographical distribution across several different European regions. In Northern Europe, its presence can be documented within Great Britain. Moving into Middle Europe, the species is found in both Germany and the Czechia-Slovakia area. Its range extends further into Southeastern Europe, where it inhabits Albania. Finally, the plant is also recorded as growing in Bulgaria.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Portulaca grandiflora is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to diverse environmental conditions and a broad altitudinal distribution. This species thrives across a vast elevational range, spanning from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum altitude of 2000 m AMSL. Its habitat preferences are notably diverse, allowing it to colonize various ecosystems including anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), the semi-arid Caatinga (stricto sensu), the nutrient-poor sandy soils of Campinarana, and the diverse landscapes of the Cerrado (latto sensu). Additionally, it is found within coastal environments such as Restingas, as well as in humid settings like coastal forests (Floresta Ciliar) or gallery forests (Galeria), demonstrating a high degree of ecological plasticity across different Brazilian biomes.

Elevational range max:

2000 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Caatinga (stricto sensu), Campinarana, Cerrado (lato sensu), Floresta Ciliar ou Galeria, Restinga

Life history

The life history of Portulaca grandiflora is characterized by an annual lifecycle, completing its entire developmental process from germination to seed production within a single growing season. As a therophyte, it functions as an ephemeral plant that survives unfavorable environmental conditions by producing resilient seeds rather than maintaining persistent vegetative structures. This life form allows the species to rapidly colonize open, sunny habitats, utilizing its seasonal growth to maximize reproductive output before the onset of dormancy or senescence.

Life form :

therophyte

Lifecycle :

annual

Morphology

The morphology of Portulaca grandiflora is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. This self-supporting plant maintains a relatively low profile, with a height ranging from a minimum of 0.03 m to a maximum of 0.3 m, maintaining a mean plant height of approximately 0.2 m. It functions as an independent organism, neither acting as a parasite nor an epiphyte, as it is strictly terrestrial in its ecological habit. As a non-climbing, self-supporting species, it lacks the structural characteristics of lianas or vines, instead focusing its development as a low-growing, terrestrial herb.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

0.3 m

Plant height mean:

0.2 m

Plant height min:

0.03 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Portulaca grandiflora is characterized by specialized adaptations for water conservation and efficient metabolic processing. The plant exhibits significant succulence, utilizing fleshy tissues to store water, which allows it to thrive in arid environments. Its photosynthetic metabolism follows the C4 pathway, an evolutionary adaptation that optimizes carbon fixation and minimizes photorespiration, particularly under high temperatures and intense light conditions. Morphologically, the leaves are relatively small, with a mean length of 1.75 cm, ranging from a minimum of 1 cm to a maximum of 2.5 cm. Additionally, the plant does not function as a nitrogen fixer, relying instead on external soil nutrient availability for its nitrogen requirements.

Leaf length max:

2.5 cm

Leaf length mean:

1.75 cm

Leaf length min:

1 cm

Nitrogen fixer :

no

Photosynthetic pathway :

C4

Succulence :

yes

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of Portulaca grandiflora is characterized by a specific seasonal flowering period that begins in July and concludes in September. During this time, the plant produces flowers that vary in length from a minimum of 2.5 cm to a maximum of 4 cm. The pollination process is primarily biotic, utilizing an insect pollination syndrome to facilitate fertilization, although the plant is also capable of self-fertilization. Following successful pollination, the plant develops dry, capsule-type fruits that are dehiscent, meaning they open at maturity to release their contents. The seeds produced are quite small, with a mean mass of approximately 0.000108 g (ranging from 0.0001 g to 0.000124 g) and a consistent seed volume of 0.091 mm³. Dispersal of these seeds is notably anthropochorous, occurring through human activity.

Dehiscence :

dehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anthropochorous

Flower length max:

4 cm

Flower length min:

2.5 cm

Flowering time :

Jul

Flowering time :

Sep

Fruit dryness :

dry

Fruit type :

capsule

Pollination syndrome :

insect

Pollination syndrome :

biotic

Seed mass max:

0.000124 g

Seed mass mean:

0.000108 g

Seed mass min:

1e-04 g

Seed volume max:

0.091 mm³

Self fertilization :

present

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Portulaca grandiflora has 1 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include B1.

B1

1. Plant disease

Activities

Portulaca grandiflora has 2 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic.

Antimicrobial

1. Plant disease

Cytotoxic

1. Plant disease

Conditions

Portulaca grandiflora has 1 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include phytoplasma infection.

Phytoplasma infection

1. Plant disease

Preparations

Portulaca grandiflora has 3 reported preparations identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported preparations include aqueous extract, water extract, water extracts.

Aqueous extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Water extract

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Water extracts

1. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica