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Common Purslane (Kulfa / Lonika)
Portulaca oleracea
ବଡ଼ ଲୁଣିଆ (Bada Lunia)कुल्फा (Kulfa)Lonika
- Family
- Portulacaceae
- Origin
- North Africa & Southern Eurasia
- Plant Type
- Herb
- Habitat
- Both
About the Plant
Prostrate succulent fleshy annual herb with reddish cylindrical stems; alternate obovate spatulate thick leaves, and small terminal clusters of bright yellow 5-petaled flowers.
Traditional Uses
Scurvy, liver inflammation, atherosclerosis, dysentery, and skin burns
Parts Used
Aerial parts, leaves, seeds
Ayurvedic Properties
- Rasa: Amla, Kashaya
- Guna: Laghu, Snigdha
- Virya: Sheeta
- Vipaka: Katu
Health Benefits
- Highest plant source of omega-3 fatty acids, repairs skin barrier, and cools heat stroke
Precautions
Avoid excessive raw consumption in calcium oxalate kidney stone patients due to high oxalates
Interesting Facts
Mahatma Gandhi actively praised purslane and encouraged its consumption in his ashram dietaries