a weedy portulacaceous plant, Portulaca oleracea, with small yellow flowers and fleshy leaves, which are used in salads and as a potherb
2.
any of various similar or related plants, such as sea purslane and water purslane
Word origin
C14 purcelane, from Old French porcelaine, from Late Latin porcillāgō, from Latin porcillāca, variant of portulāca
purslane in American English
(ˈpɜrslɪn; ˈpɜrsˌleɪn)
noun
1.
any of various prostrate weeds (genus Portulaca) of the purslane family, with pink, fleshy stems and small, yellow, short-lived flowers; esp., an annual (P. oleracea) sometimes used as a potherb and in salads
adjective
2.
designating a family (Portulacaceae, order Caryophyllales) of dicotyledonous plants, includingclaytonia and portulaca
Word origin
ME purcelane < MFr porcelaine < LL porcilaca, purslane, altered < L portulaca: see portulaca