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Portulaca retusa   Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 2: 40.

Portulaca villosa Cham.  Eric Guinther

Purslane, Little Hogweed   

Navajo Name: Tségha'niłchi', "breeze through rock"

Classification: Portulaca L. Contains 18 Species and 20 accepted taxa overall

Species: 

• little hogweed, Portulaca oleracea
• aka Portulaca retusa Engelm. 

Ceremonies: none cited

Ritual Use:

none cited

Medicine: 

• Seed burned with big sagebrush on hot coals, to cure sickness (Elmore 1944:47) 
• Plant eaten to cure stomach aches, to treat pain in general - plant seen as a kind of panacea to "cure sick people" (Elmore 1944: 47)
• Plant used as a lotion for scarlet fever (Wyman and Harris 1951: 22)

Food: 

• Plants used for food (Hocking 1956:154) 
• Seeds used for food (Standley 1912:458; Elmore 1944: 47)
• Leaves used as a potherb (Vestal 1952 :26)
• Leaves boiled as greens with meat (Vestal 1952 :26)

Other Uses: 

• Plant used as a good sheep forage (Elmore 1944: 47)

References: 

• Elmore 1944:47
• Hocking 1956:154
• Standley 1912:458
• Vestal 1952 :26
• Wyman and Harris 1951:22