Portulacaceae

Portulaca L.

Last edited by Pieter B. Pelser, 25 August 2025

Portulaca grandiflora Hook., Bot. Mag. 56 (1829) t.2885; ≡ Portulaca pilosa ssp. grandiflora (Hook.) R.Geesink, Blumea 17 (1969) 297. Distribution: Neotropics. Notes: Cultivated as an ornamental and occasionally escaped. Naturalized.
Portulaca oleracea L., Sp. Pl., 1st Ed. (1753) 445; Merr., Fl. Manila (1912) 200; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 136; Cortez et al., Check List 19 (2023) 989. Distribution: Pantropic. APULIT, BALABAC, HUNDRED ISLS (photos), LEYTE, LUZON: Cavite, Ilocos Norte, Laguna, NCR, MINDANAO: Davao del Sur, Misamis Oriental (photos), South Cotabato, Zamboanga, Zamboanga del Norte, MINDORO, SIARGAO. Notes: Cryptogenic (Ocampo & Columbus 2012). Throughout the Philippines in the settled areas. Purslane. 0-1800m. Conservation status: Least Concern (IUCN 3.1). Cryptogenic.
Portulaca pilosa L., Sp. Pl., 1st Ed. (1753) 445; Merr., Fl. Manila (1912) 199; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 136; Geesink, Blumea 17 (1969) 295. Distribution: C & S America. LUZON: Aurora (photos), Cavite, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Rizal, Zambales (photos), MINDORO, PABELLON ISLS, PAMALICAN. Naturalized.
- ssp. pilosa. ≠ Portulaca pachyrrhiza auct. non Gagnep.; Merr., EPFP 2 (1923) 136. Distribution: C & S America. LUZON: Cavite, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Pangasinan, Rizal, PABELLON ISLS, PAMALICAN. Notes: Dry open places and along sandy seashores. Naturalized.
Portulaca psammotropha Hance, Ann. Bot. Syst. 2 (1852) 660; Chung et al., Taiwania 53 (2008) 91; Kokubugata et al., Phytotaxa 217 (2015) 285. Distribution: China, Philippines, Ryukyu Isls, Taiwan. BATAN, LUZON: Pangasinan (photos), SABTANG (photos). Notes: On coral sands or coral reefs and rocks, or occasionally in crevices of artificial cement structure at low elevation. Fl. year-round. 0m. Native.
Portulaca quadrifida L., Mant. Pl. (1767) 73; Fl. Manila (1912) 200; Merrill, EPFP 2 (1923) 137. Distribution: Africa, Bangladesh, Borneo, China, India, Indian Ocean, Java, Lesser Sunda Isls, Malay Peninsula, Middle East, Moluccas, Myanmar, New Guinea, Pacific Ocean, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sulawesi, Sumatra, Taiwan, Vietnam. BATAN, LUZON: Batangas (photos), Cagayan, Rizal. Notes: In Luzon from Cagayan to Rizal. Probably an introduced plant in the Philippines. Weed in human settlements. Naturalized.

References

Chung, S-W, DA Madulid & T-C Hsu. 2008. Portulaca psammotropha Hance (Portulacaceae), a neglected species in the Flora of Taiwan and the Philippines. Taiwania 53: 90-95
Geesink, R. 1969. An account of the genus Portulaca in Indo-Australia and the Pacific (Portulacaceae). Blumea 17: 275-301
Geesink, R. 1971. Portulacaceae. Flora Malesiana series 1, 7:121-133
Kokubugata G, H Kato, D Iamonico, H Umemoto, T Ito, K Nakamura, N Murakami & M Yokota. 2015. Taxonomic reexamination of Portulaca boninensis (Portulacaceae) in the Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands of Japan using molecular and morphological data. Phytotaxa 217: 279-287
Nyffeler, R, & U Eggli. 2010. An up-to-date familial and suprafamilial classification of succulent plants. Bradleya 28: 125-144
Ocampo, G & JT Columbus. 2012. Molecular phylogenetics, historical biogeography, and chromosome number evolution of Portulaca (Portulacaceae). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 63: 97-112.