Portulaca oleracea L.

Spice In the field In the field 2

Family: PORTULACAEAE

Genus: Portulaca

Catalan common name: Ensiam de patena. Pulsallana. Verdalaga. Verdolaga.

Spanish common name: Verdolaga.

Province distribution: Alacant. Balearic Islands. Barcelona. Castelló. Girona. Lleida. Tarragona. València.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera.

General distribution (Phytogeography): Cosmopolitan and subcosmopolitan

Uses and properties: Edible or foodstuffs. Medicinal.

IUCN Category: LCLeast concern

Flowering time: JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Life-forms: Terophyte.

Habitats: Cultivated fields, path and road sides, disturbed zones. Cultivated fields, disturbed zones.

Characteristics: The only wild species of the Portulacaciae family living in the Balearic Islands, although there are some species grown in gardens. It is an annual cycle herb with slightly fleshy, shiny stems and leaves. The leaves are opposite with a wider tip, sometimes slightly notched. It produces small, sessile (without a leaf-stalk), yellow flowers, which are not very eye-catching and have deciduous petals, which makes it easier to see the buds or capsular fruits. The stems are often reddish. It lives in moist soils, in orchards and gardens, and is considered as an invasive plant; despite this it is an edible plant and in periods of shortage it was used to make salads. It flowers in summer and in autumn.