The Logogriph of Purslane: lonica or louina, koursa, kholza and perpehen, adrajne agria, portulaca, baqla hamqa,crazy vegetable, riyla, furfir, farfan, farfag, farfagin, missita, verdilacas, yerba aurato and yerba orate,Crazy herb?

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Origin of the name.

Purslane Herb Extract Portulaca oleracea INCI Name Portulaca Oleracea Extract CAS 290-201-1 EINECS ELINCS No 90083-07-1 photo picture image The diversity of names and meanings already gives an idea of the age and geographical dispersion of purslane's cultivation or use.

 On the basis of historical, archaeological and linguistic documentation, De Candolle thought that this species was cultivated more than 4 000 years ago. Its common names come from different roots: lonica or louina (Sanskrit), koursa (Hindustani), kholza and perpehen (Persian), adrajne agria (Greek), portulaca (Latin, which means "little door", because of the way its capsule opens). The Arabs in the Middle Ages called it baqla hamqa, which means "mad" or "crazy vegetable" because of the fact that its branches spread over the ground without any control. The Hispano-Arabs of Al-Andalus (from the tenth to fifteenth century) used the name riyla, which means "foot", most certainly because of its dactyliform leaves, and also furfir, farfan, farfag, farfagin, derived from the Persian perpehen. They also called it missita, which means "mixed", because it is sometimes found growing in gardens and sometimes growing wild. In Spanish, names such as verdilacas, yerba aurato and yerba orate are known (which again mean "crazy herb").

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citations1.The Logogriph of Purslane: lonica or louina, koursa, kholza and perpehen, adrajne agria, portulaca, baqla hamqa,crazy vegetable, riyla, furfir, farfan, farfag, farfagin, missita, verdilacas, yerba aurato and yerba orate,Crazy herb?

last edit date:27th,May.2009.