Definition of "portulaca" [portulaca]

• Any of various fleshy plants of the genus Portulaca, especially P. grandiflora of South America, cultivated for its showy colorful flowers that open only in sunlight. Also called rose moss. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "On a pleasant evening after work last week, Nurrenbern and his volunteers planted a variety of flora with whimsical names such as "Margarita Banana" portulaca, "Serena Purple" angelonia, and "Mint Mocha" coleus, as well as the better-known petunias."
• "A flower whose name I learned in France is "pourpier," which is portulaca, a heat-tolerant plant with vividly colored blooms."
• "Purslane (Portulaca oleracea, P. sativa) is a member of the Portulacaceae Family and also known as wild portulaca and verdolaga."