Common name: Moss rose, Portulaca • Hindi: Nonia • Manipuri: Pung mapan satpi • Urdu: Gul-e shama
Botanical name: Portulaca grandiflora | Family: Portulacaceae (moss rose family)
Moss rose is a prostrate, trailing, multi-
branched annual with semisucculent stems and leaves. It is a very common house-plant in sunny places in India. It reaches about 6 in tall with a spread of 12 in. The reddish stems and the bright green leaves are thick and soft and juicy. The leaves are cylindrical, about an inch long, and pointed on the tips. The roselike flowers are about an inch across and come in bright colors like rose pink, red, yellow, white, and orange. Some are striped or spotted with contrasting colors. The flowers are borne on the stem tips, and they open only during bright sunlight, closing at night and on cloudy days. |
