Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) also known as: Garden Purslane, Little Hogweed, Pusley, Munyeroo, etc.  Division - Magnoliaphyta Class - Magnoliopsida Subclass - Caryophyllidae Order - Caryophyllales Family - Portulacaceae Genus - Portulaca This is part of the portulaca genus (sometimes spelled portulacca), closely related to the beautiful spiky leaved portulaca I keep in my front flowerbox. It is a common weed here, growing low to the ground and creeping through other plants. It is hard to pull out, preferring to break off rather than pull out. Purslane is edible, though I have not tried it yet. Supposedly, it is sour and salty. It can be eaten fresh in salads or cooked up like spinach. It apparently also makes a good base for soups and stews. It is high in vitamins and minerals.  Something that I have never read of, but experienced firsthand, is that purslane folds up in the night, standing erect as if to keep its leaves away from the dirt and protected from pests and molds. This is a picture of the same patch as the first picture, taken around four in the morning.  Taxonomic List List by Scientific Name List by Common Name |