Portulaca (, is the type genus of the flowering plant family Portulacaceae, with over 100 species, found in the tropics and warm temperate regions. They are known as the purslanes. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is widely consumed as an edible plant, and in some areas it is invasive. Portulaca grandiflora is a well-known ornamental garden plant. Purslanes are relished by chickens. Some Portulaca species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the nutmeg moth (Hadula trifolii). Species The following species are accepted: Portulaca africana (Danin & H.G.Baker) Danin – Western Africa to south China Portulaca almeviae Ocampo – Mexico Portulaca amilis Speg. – Paraguayan purslane – Peru to Brazil and N. Argentina Portulaca anceps A.Rich. – Ethiopia Portulaca argentinensis Speg. – Argentina Portulaca aurantiaca Proctor – Jamaica Portulaca australis Endl. – N. & NE. Australia to W. Central Pacific Portulaca badamica S.R.Yadav & Dalavi – India Portulaca bicolor F.Muell. – Australian pigweed – Australia Portulaca biloba Urb. – Cuban purslane – Cuba Portulaca brevifolia Urb. – Cuba to Haiti, NW. Venezuela Portulaca bulbifera M.G.Gilbert – Ethiopia, Kenya Portulaca californica D.Legrand – Mexico Portulaca canariensis Danin & Reyes-Bet. – Canary Islands Portulaca cardenasiana D.Legrand – Puerto Rican purslane – Bolivia Portulaca caulerpoides Britton & P.Wilson – Puerto Rico Portulaca centrali-africana R.E.Fr. – E. DR Congo to NW. Tanzania Portulaca chacoana D.Legrand – Paraguay to NE. Argentina Portulaca ciferrii Chiov. – S. Somalia to SE. Kenya Portulaca clavigera R.Geesink – Western Australia Portulaca colombiana D.Legrand – Colombia to Venezuela Portulaca commutata M.G.Gilbert – S. Ethiopia to N. Tanzania Portulaca confertifolia Hauman – Argentina Portulaca conoidea S.M.Phillips – Kenya Portulaca constricta M.G.Gilbert – Ethiopia, Somalia Portulaca conzattii P.Wilson – Mexico to Central America Portulaca coralloides S.M.Phillips – Kenya Portulaca cryptopetala Speg. – Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay Portulaca cubensis Britton & P.Wilson – Cuba Portulaca cyclophylla F.Muell. – Western Australia Portulaca cypria Danin – Mediterranian Portulaca daninii Galasso, Banfi & Soldano – Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Suriname Portulaca decipiens Poelln. – Australia Portulaca decorticans M.G.Gilbert – Kenya, Somalia Portulaca dhofarica M.G.Gilbert – Oman Portulaca diegoi Mattos – Brazil Portulaca digyna F.Muell. – Australia Portulaca dodomaensis M.G.Gilbert – Tanzania Portulaca echinosperma Hauman – Argentina Portulaca edulis Danin & Bagella – Cyprus Portulaca elatior Mart. ex Rohrb. – Caribbean to S. Tropical America Portulaca elongata Rusby – Argentina, Bolivia, Peru Portulaca eruca Hauman – Argentina, Paraguay Portulaca erythraeae Schweinf. –