purslane(redirected from Pursley)
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purslane,common name for some plants of the Portulaceae, a family of herbs and a few small shrubs, chiefly of the Americas. The portulacas or purslanes (genus Portulaca) include many species indigenous to the United States. The pussley, or common purslane (P. oleracea), is a common trailing weed in America; it and the upright European variety are sometimes used as potherbs and greens. Several species of the related warm-temperate and tropical genus Talinum are similarly used. Several species of Portulaca are cultivated in gardens, e.g., the small, showy-blossomed rose moss, or garden purslane (P. grandiflora), introduced from Brazil. Many North American wildflowers, sometimes also cultivated, are members of this family. The spring beauty (Claytonia virginica; for John Clayton) is an early spring flower of Eastern woods. Bitterroot (Lewisia rediviva) is also a Western plant; it was found by Lewis and Clark on their expedition in the American West, and the genus was named for Lewis. The common name is applied to several Western landmarks, such as the Bitterroot Mountains; it is the state flower of Montana. Purslane is classified in the division MagnoliophytaMagnoliophyta
, division of the plant kingdom consisting of those organisms commonly called the flowering plants, or angiosperms. The angiosperms have leaves, stems, and roots, and vascular, or conducting, tissue (xylem and phloem).
..... Click the link for more information. , class Magnoliopsida, order Caryophyllales.
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Ground cover plant with reddish spaghetti-like stems and green waxy propeller shaped leaves, yellow flowers. Loves sunlight, not shade. Eat the stems along with the leaves. Has a refreshing tart lemony flavor. In North America it's considered a weed, in other countries it's a popular salad vegetable. It is the highest herbal land plant source of Omega 3, 6 and even some omega 9 fatty acids. Extremely rich in Vitamin C. Contains dopa and noradrenaline (norepinephrine), making it great for allergies, growth hormone production, thyroid, adrenal, pituitary, and the entire endocrine system (all glands). Very delicious and nutritious. Can eat raw or steam for 15 seconds, add butter, salt and pepper, mmmmn. You can take the stems, marinate them and use as noodles.You can also take the whole plant, dehydrate it and make purslane powder which you can sprinkle on things through the winter months. Very delicious, very nutritious and heart healthy. Can spread a lot- they drop 50,000 seeds at one time. The only plant that looks like purslane but isn't really edible is spurge. The way to tell the difference is spurge has a white sap inside the stem, which isn't red like purslane stems. Purslane makes a good companion plant by providing ground cover to create a humid microclimate for nearby plants, stabilizing ground moisture. Its deep roots bring up moisture and nutrients that those plants can use.
Edible Plant Guide © 2012 Markus Rothkranz