A Numerical Taxonomic Study of <i>Portulaca oleracea</i>

Abstract

A phenetic classification of 44 ecotypes of common purslane ( Portulaca oleracea L.) produced 4 major groups: cool temperate; warm temperate to wet dry subtropic; humid subtropic to tropic; and cultivated. These groups were based on 36 plant characteristics; the ecotypes were collected from 18 countries and are representative of climates inhabited by common purslane. The cultivated group is comprised of robust forms which are raised for culinary purposes. For weed forms, plants of the cool temperate group were small, prostrate plants with size and growth habit increasing to maximum in the humid subtropic to tropic group.