Portulaca quadrifida

Portulaca quadrifida, known as pusley, wild purslane, chicken weed (or chickenweed), single‑flowered purslane, small‑leaved purslane and 10 o'clock plant, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Portulaca, possibly native to Africa, but certainly widespread over the Old World Tropics, and introduced elsewhere. It is collected in the wild and eaten in salads or cooked, and is a favorite fodder for chickens and pigs.

Description

An annual creeping herb. It is weak and fleshy. The stems curl backwards. They form roots at the nodes. The leaves occur opposite each other. They are flat and oval and 4-8 mm long by 2-5 mm wide. The flowers occur singly at the tips of the branches. There are 4-5 white leaves around them. The flowers are yellow. The fruit capsule is yellow and has a lid. The capsule is 2.5 mm across and round. The seeds are very small.

Edible Uses

The leaves are boiled and used in preparing millet bread, and the whole plant is boiled as a vegetable or made into chutney. It is a minor vegetable but becomes important when other vegetables are scarce.

Traditional Uses

The leaves are boiled and used in preparing bread from millet. The whole plant is also boiled and used as a vegetable. It is also used for chutney. CAUTION: It is claimed this plant should not be eaten in large amounts. It probably accumulates nitrates and probably contains oxalates. Changing the cooking water could reduce these.

Medicinal Uses

Although used less widely, the plant has similar medicinal applications to Portulaca oleracea. The general uses are as a diuretic, to treat rheumatism and gynaecological diseases, as a sedative, analgesic and cardiotonic, to treat fever, disorders of the urinary tract, worm diseases, as a tonic and choleretic, to treat dysentery, and to apply externally to ulcers, eczema and dermatitis.

Known Hazards

Should not be eaten in large amounts as it probably accumulates nitrates and contains oxalates; changing the cooking water may reduce these compounds.

Distribution

A tropical plant. It grows on sand and in wayside drains and grassland. It grows in dry waste places. It grows between 50-1,750 m above sea level. It can grow in arid places. It is highly salt tolerant.

Where It Grows

Africa, American Samoa, Asia, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central Africa, Central America*, China, Congo, Cuba*, Dominican Republic*, East Africa, Egypt, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Fiji, Ghana, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesser Antilles*, Liberia, Malawi, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico*, Micronesia, Middle East, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, North Africa, North America, Northeastern India, Oman, Pacific, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, PNG, Puerto Rico, Samoa, Sao Tome and Principe, Saudi Arabia, SE Asia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South America, Southern Africa, South Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies*, Yap, Yemen, Zambia, Zimbabwe,

Cultivation

Plants can be grown from seeds. Fresh seeds need light to germinate. It can be grown from segments.

Propagation

Seed - fresh seeds need light for germination, but this requirement disappears in older seeds.

Other Uses

Large types are sometimes planted as a soil binder to prevent erosion in sandy soils.

Other Information

It is a minor vegetable but important when other vegetables are short.

Notes

2n = 18. There are about 200 Portulaca species. They are mostly in the tropics and subtropics.

Dangerous Lookalikes

This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.

TOXIC

Spotted Spurge

Euphorbia maculata

Hardyplants at English Wikipedia

Safe

Small-leaved purslane

Portulaca quadrifida

no rights reserved, uploaded by 葉子

Spotted Spurge: Milky white latex sap when broken, thinner leaves often with dark spot, prostrate growth, tiny flowers.

Small-leaved purslane: Clear sap, thick succulent leaves, reddish smooth stems, yellow flowers.

Nutrition

Synonyms

Also Known As

Addo tatxa arxa, Amalenyane, Anuer, Anyuera, Ban tieng, Bhuichauli, Bwanda, Chinguru, Chinnaparpukkirai, Chota luniya, Chotalunia, Chounlayi, Chul ghul, Dhuras, Emahenjana, Emalenyane, Gholu, Goddu pavelli, Goddupavili kura, Golgola sag, Gooni soppu, Hali dajjuli, Halibachcheli, Jhiniluni, Kathechanvel, Khate chawal, Khatechan val, Kiwa, Kolfa, Kremi, Kunor, Kura, Laghulonika, Linyanjani, Lonak, Loniya, Loonk, Loranki, Lornak booti, Lunak, Luni, Lunki, Mahenjani, Maraeitta, Mecheritta, Memaniran puteh, Meredheta, Mereqita, Mergude, Mulaza, Muleza, Mya-byit, Mya-byit-gale, Myeyane, N'hocalaolo, Nacha goli, Neelakeera, Nuniya, Pak bia lek, Pakharai, Paruppukeerai, Passelie keeray, Pavili, Payala, Ranghol, Rejela, Rumput segan, Sam nho, Sanimarumbi, Seresere, Si ban ma chi xian, Sun pail kura, Suni ara, Tsoralle, Uppadkyi, Vothung mekvoke-er, Wakhorai, Wild purslane, Zangali warkhrhay

References (65)

• Addis, G., et al, 2013, Dietary values of wild and semi-wild edible plants in Southern Ethiopia. African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development. 13(2) (Recalculated from dmb)
• Addis, G., Asfaw, Z & Woldu, Z., 2013, Ethnobotany of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants of Konso Ethnic Community, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research and Applications. 11:121-141
• Addis, G., et al, 2013, The Role of Wild and Semi-wild Edible Plants in Household Food Sovereignty in Hamer and Konso Communities, South Ethiopia. Ethnobotany Research & Applications. 11:251-271
• Ahmad, K. & Pieroni, A., 2016, Folk knowledge of wild food plants among the tribal communities of Thakht-e-Sulaiman Hills, North-West Pakistan. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 12:17
• Ahmad, K., et al, 2018, Ethnobotanical investigation of wild vegetables used among local communities in northwest Pakistan. Acta Soc Bot Pol. 2019;88(1):3616.

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