Beldroaga, Mattress of Boy, Flower of the Eleven, Flower of a Day, Bequeath, Porcelain, Portulaca, Tarfela
He cultivated myself formerly like vegetable for salad, although today some farmers consider a bad grass. Their medicinal applications, nevertheless, still persist.
Habitat: sandy lands close to rivers, or old cultures, to all Europe. Very common in the American continent.
Description: it plants annual of the family of the Portulacáceas, crawling, of heavy and substantial stems. The leaves small, are made oval, fleshy and blanquecinas by envés. The flowers are small and of yellow color.
Used parts: the fresh leaves and stems.
Properties and indications: All the plant contains abundant mucílagos, that are their more important active principle, and than they confer emollient, antiinflammatory and laxative properties to him. It also has vitamin C, that makes antiescorbútica. It presents/displays diuréticas and depurativas properties, although the active principle responsible for them is not known well. It is applied in case of chronic constipation. As diurética and purifying it is very recommendable in case of obesity or overloaded feeding. By his suavizante and antiinflammatory action, it is from utility in the cystitis and the urinary calculations. Externally one is used in tasting shapes in case of blefaritis (inflammation of the eyelids) and of conjuntivitis.
Use: like vegetable of salad, flavored with salt, oil and lemon. In decocción: 100 grs. of fresh plant by liter of water; up to 5 daily cups.
Externally, in cataplasms of the crushed fresh plant.