Definition

1. Noun:
   • A common edible plant: Purslane is a low-growing, succulent plant with fleshy leaves and stems. It is often used as a leafy green vegetable in salads, soups, and other dishes.
   • A wild or cultivated herb: It can be intentionally grown as a potherb or salad herb but is also considered a weed in many gardens and agricultural areas due to its hardy, spreading nature.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • I added some fresh purslane to the salad for a lemony, crunchy texture.
  • The garden is overrun with purslane, but we can harvest it for dinner.
  • Purslane is known for being rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Advanced Usage

• "Common purslane": The most widespread species, .
  • Common purslane can be found on almost every continent.
• Culinary descriptor: Used to specify the plant as an ingredient.
  • The recipe calls for a cup of chopped purslane.

Variants and Related Words

• Portulaca (n): The botanical genus name for purslane and similar plants.
  • The flower bed was filled with colorful portulaca.
• Verdolaga (n): The Spanish name for purslane, sometimes used in English.
  • The Mexican recipe listed verdolaga as a key ingredient.

Synonyms

• Pigweed (Note: This can refer to several different plants; purslane is one of them in some regions.)
• Little hogweed (A less common name for purslane.)

Related Phrases

• Purslane family: Refers to the plant family Portulacaceae.
  • The purslane family includes many succulent species.

Noun

1. a plant of the family Portulacaceae having fleshy succulent obovate leaves often grown as a potherb or salad herb; a weed in some areas