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Common name: Chicken weed, Wild purslane, பசலை கீறை Pasalai keerai (Tamil), Goddu pavelli (Telugu)
Botanical name: Portulaca quadrifida Family: Portulacaceae
Chicken weed is an annual herb. Stems articulated, prostrate, rooting at nodes;
leaf axils
patent pilose. Leaves opposite; petiole absent; leaf blade flat, ovate,
obovate, or ovate-elliptic, 4-8 × 2-5 mm, slightly narrowed toward base, apex
obtuse or acute. Flowers solitary, surrounded by involucre of 4 or 5 bracts,
white pilose. Sepals obovate-oblong, 2.5-3 mm, membranous, veined. Petals 4,
yellow, oblong or broadly elliptic, 3-6 mm, connate at base, apex mucronate.
Stamens 8-10. The plants are used for medicinal purposes.
In Rajasthan, the leaves, after boiling, are used in preparing a bread by
mixing with Bajra. In Tamil Nadu, leaves and tender shoots cooked and eaten
as greens.
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