|
The Green purslane (Portulaca oleracea) belongs to Portulacaceae (the Purslane family). It is an annual herb that is widely distributed throughout Japan, as well as in the toropical to warm countries. This herb grows in sunny fields or roadsides, spreads side-upward and can reach about 20 cm in height. The smooth stems are magenta and the carnose leaves are glossy. The small, yellow flowers bloom at the tip of stems from July to September. The flowers open at midmorning on a bright day. The stems and leaves before flowering can be eaten by boiling. In Japan, it is mostly eaten in Yamagata and Okinawa prefectures. In Yamagata Prefecture, it is called "Hyou" and is used as a boiled dish in summer and dried in winter. In Taiwanese Chinese, it is called "”nê莧" and in Chinese, "”nê莧" (ma chi xian). It is a C4 plant (Plants with C4-type photosynthesis).
|