Inland pigweed
Portulaca australis

Family: Portulacaceae

What it is like

A herb. It has a tuberous root. The leaves are narrow and slightly flattened. They are small. They can be 1 cm long by 0.5 cm wide. The flowers are yellow to orange. They can be 1 cm across.

There are about (40) 200 Portulaca species. They are mostly in the tropics and subtropics.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia, East Timor, Kiribati, Micronesia, Pacific, Palau, SE Asia, Timor-Leste, Tuvalu

How it is used for food

The roots are roasted and eaten.

Edible parts

Root

How it is grown

Its other names

Local names

Me-mama, Te mtea

Synonyms

See Portulaca pilosa ssp. pilosa;