common purslane

6.8

A low-growing plant with thick sour leaves that people eat in salads or cooked dishes

noun
/ˈkɑːmən ˈpɜːrslən/

: verdolaga

I added common purslane to my salad for extra flavor.

Examples

Many gardeners remove common purslane as a weed, not knowing its leaves are edible.
The tangy flavor of common purslane makes it a favorite ingredient in Greek dishes.
Fresh common purslane is a popular addition to salads in Mediterranean cuisine.
Have you tried common purslane in your dishes?
Common purslane is often used in salads and has a mildly sour taste.
In Greek cuisine, common purslane is a popular ingredient due to its unique flavor.
Many gardeners view common purslane as a troublesome weed, but its leaves are actually edible.

Synonyms

purslane

vscommon purslane

1 8.4

A small edible plant with thick, fleshy leaves used in salads and sometimes seen as a weed

is focused on low-growing, mat-forming habit rather than annual growth

pussley

vscommon purslane

9.5

A low, spreading green plant with small yellow flowers and sour leaves used in salads

is the more widely used English name in home cooking and markets

pussly

vscommon purslane

Indian

9.9

An edible plant with thick, slightly sour leaves and small yellow flowers eaten raw or cooked

is the standard common name used outside those variant forms

Portulaca oleracea

vscommon purslane

Specialized

8.8

A small plant with crunchy, slightly sour leaves often used in salads

is the common everyday name used in cooking and gardens

verdolagas

vscommon purslane

9.9

A low green plant with small sour leaves eaten as a vegetable

is the common English name used broadly in cooking and gardens

Surface Forms

common purslane singular

common purslanes plural

Morphology

common + purslane

The noun phrase combines an adjective 'common' (typical, frequently occurring) with the plant name 'purslane', so its meaning — the usual/widespread variety of the purslane plant — is directly derivable from the parts. This is a straightforward compositional noun phrase rather than an idiom, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would understand it.

Etymology

Common purslane may come from an old word for 'purse' because purslane has thick, round leaves that look like tiny purses full of juice. 'Common' simply means the plant grows in many places, so the name fits a widespread edible herb often used in salads.