portulaca
portulaca Lexical Profile
portulaca Game Scores & Validity
• noun
Any of various low-growing succulent flowering plants of the genus Portulaca (family Portulacaceae), especially the moss rose (Portulaca grandiflora), native to South America and widely cultivated as a drought-tolerant garden annual for its fleshy cylindrical leaves and showy, cup-shaped blossoms in vibrant shades of red, pink, orange, yellow, and white that open in bright sunlight.
"The sunny rock garden was carpeted with brightly colored portulacas that bloomed vibrant pink and yellow throughout the hot summer months."
• Rhymes for portulaca
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed from Latin portulaca ('purslane'), a classical plant name possibly derived from portula ('little door'), in reference to the lid-like capsule of the seed pod, or from lac ('milk') due to the plant's mucilaginous sap.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.