1244

Portulaca grandiflora Hook.

Synonym	:	Portulaca hilaireana G. Don
Family	:	Portulacaceae
Local name	:	English         - Ten O'clock plant Malayalam  - Pathumanichedi
Flowering and fruiting period	:	Throughout the year
Distribution	:	Native of Tropical America
Distribution in kerala	:	All Districts
Habitat	:	Cultivated as garden plant
Endemic / Exotic		Exotic
Uses	:	The entire plant is depurative. It is used in the treatment of hepatitis, cirrhosis of the liver with ascites, swelling and pain in the pharynx. The fresh juice of the leaves and stems is applied externally as a lotion to snake and insect bites, burns, scalds and eczema.
Key Botanical Characters  : Diffuse, decumbent herbs, to 30 cm high. Leaves alternate or subopposite, Flowers 2.5- 4 cm across, 2-8 in capituli, flowering successively, subtended by 5-8 involucral leaves, deltoid bracteoles. Sepals 5-12 mm long, ovate, with an apical keel. Petals 5 (many in cultivated forms), pink, red, orange or yellow. Stamens numerous, Capsules ca. 5 mm in diameter, globose, operculum shining straw-yellow; seeds ca 6 mm in diameter, shining; testa cells more or less stellulate with marginal ones having a central tubercle.