PURSLANE

any of certain small, fleshy annual plants of the genus Portulaca, of the family Portulacaceae, with prostrate, reddish stems, egg-shaped leaves attached by the narrower end, and small yellow flowers that open in the sunlight. The common purslane (P. oleracea), or pusley, is a widespread weed, but the variety P. oleracea sativa, known as kitchen garden pusley, is grown to some extent as a potherb, mostly in Europe. All plants of the genus are known for their persistence; they grow well even in dry waste soil and can retain enough moisture to bloom and ripen seeds long after they have been uprooted. The capsules, which open by a lid, scatter many small seeds of great longevity. The purslane tree (Portulacaria afra), native to South Africa, is a fleshy-leaved, soft-wooded tree up to 4 m (12 feet) high. It is grown in California as a specimen plant for its succulent habit and its tiny pink flowers in clusters and is also cultivated widely as an indoor pot plant.