Flower ID: IMG_8298.JPG-08-09-2023 Flower name (scientific): Portulaca oleracea Linnaeus PY: 1753. Pronunciation guide: (phonetic spelling) por-tew-LAK-uh awl-lur-RAY-see-uh Flower name (common): Common Purslane Family name (common): Purslane Family name (scientific): Portulacaceae Scientific name origin: Genus: From a name porcilacca in Pliny. Some sources suggest that it may possibly be from the Latin porto meaning to carry and lac meaning milk, which refers to the milky sap. Another suggestion is that it comes from the Latin portula for small gate, referring to the seed capsule opening like a door. The OED indicates that there are a number of spelling variants of this word, making the origin obscure. Specific epithet: Of cultivation, vegetable garden. Common name origin: Purslane goes back to Anglo-Norman times. There are multiple spelling variations. In classical Latin it was porcillāca, a term used by Pliny. Flower description: Size: 0.1 to 0.3 inches ( 0.3 to 0.8 cm) Petal count: 5 Color: yellow Other: flower arrangement, Solitary Plant description: Size: 1 to 4 inches ( 3. to 10. cm) Stem hairy: Other: Leaf description: attachment is alternate, type is simple Size: Color: Hairy: Other: Shape: leaf, obovate or spatulate (FNA), obovate or oblong (IL) Origin (native, introduced, invasive): Introduced Status (common, uncommon, threatened, rare): Common Bloom time (typical): June to September Cycle (annual, biennial, perennial): Annual Habitat: Disturbed sites, waste areas, roadsides, fields, prairies, streambanks, pond margins, sun. Fruit: Seed: Importance to wildlife: Similar species (if any): No close lookalikes. Ethnobotany: No recorded uses by tribes from Wisconsin. Several tribes including the Cherokee, Iroquois, Keres, and Navajo used the planr for a number of ailments such as worrms, burs, bruises, and stomachaches. The plant was used as a food source by the Apache, Hopi, Iroquois, Navajo, and others (Moerman, p. 434, 1998). Latitude: Longitude: Altitude: Distribution: In Wisconsin: (Adams, Bayfield, Brown, Buffalo, Burnett, Clark, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Door, Douglas, Eau Claire, Florence, Grant, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, Kewaunee, La Crosse, Lafayette, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, Menominee, Milwaukee, Oconto, Ozaukee, Pierce, Polk, Price, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Taylor, Trempealeau, Vernon, Vilas, Walworth, Washburn, Waukesha, Waupaca, Waushara, Wood) Click here for distribution map In US: (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY) Click here for distribution map In Canada: (AB, BC, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK) Click here for distribution map References: Synonym(s): Basionym: na Homotypic Synonym(s): Heterotypic Synonym(s): Autonym:Portulaca oleracea var. oleracea (The other infraspecific is Portulaca oleracea var. delicatula Fosberg which has not been recorded from North America.) Wetland Status (NC): FACU Wetland Status (MW): FACU