PORTULACA 



described in the Botanical Magazi:te of 1829. Since that time it 

 has been in general cultivation and has varied into many garden 

 forms. The present color range varies from pure-white to yellow, 

 orange, rose, scarlet, crimson, and deep-red. Double forms are 

 common but not desirable. A bed will 

 often perpetuate itself, and in some places 

 the plant persists about old gardens. It is 

 tender to frost and the seed should be sown 

 late, as, like the corn and the cucumber, a 

 warm root-run is essential. 



The seed-vessel is interesting in struct- 

 ure; the lower part of the ovary unites 

 with the bottom of the calyx, and the re- 

 sult is that when the capsule is mature 

 the upper part comes off, as if it were a 

 lid, and discloses a tiny dish of fruit. 



Purslane, Portulaca olerhcea, is the "Pus- 

 ley" hated of gardeners and of amateurs. 

 A common trailing weed in sandy soil, it remains true to its gens 

 and thrives in the fiercest sun. The leaves are small, obovate, 

 very obtuse, very thick, dull-green or reddish. The smooth 

 prostrate stems go out in all directions from the root crown, 

 the thick leaves lie upon the ground or rise a few inches, and 

 in the hot sun of midsummer noonday it opens a few small, 

 pale-yellow flowers very close to the stem. These ripen many 

 seeds. This "Pusley" is sometimes eaten as greens, but there are 

 French upright forms that are much .better and are cultivated as 

 food plants. 



Purslane. Portulaca oleracea 



149 



