PORTULACA

originally: garden purslane, portulaca oleracea (family portulacaceae). later more widely: any plant of the genus portulaca, which comprises trailing succulent plants of warm and tropical regions, with a calyx of two sepals and brightly coloured flowers opening only in direct sunshine; especially one grown for ornament, such as the sun plant, p. grandiflora. also (in form portulaca): the genus itself.