Cuban purslane
Portulaca biloba
Cuban purslane (Portulaca biloba) is a succulent herbaceous plant endemic to Cuba, characterized by its small, fleshy, bilobed leaves and tiny yellow flowers. This low-growing annual or perennial forms dense mats in coastal and rocky environments, serving as an important pioneer species that helps stabilize soil and provides habitat for small invertebrates.
Photo: iNaturalist: (c) Pedro A. González Gutiérrez, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Pedro A. González Gutiérrez
Taxonomy & Classification
Kingdom
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Family
Portulacaceae
Genus
Portulaca
Cuban purslane belongs to the family Portulacaceae, order Caryophyllales, within the Magnoliopsida class.
Species Profile
Cuban purslane (Portulaca biloba) is a succulent herbaceous plant endemic to Cuba, characterized by its small, fleshy, bilobed leaves and tiny yellow flowers. This low-growing annual or perennial forms dense mats in coastal and rocky environments, serving as an important pioneer species that helps stabilize soil and provides habitat for small invertebrates.
Cuban purslane faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to coastal development, tourism infrastructure, and urban expansion along Cuba's coastlines. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while invasive plant species compete for the same specialized coastal habitats.
Key Facts
Habitat & Distribution
Cuban purslane inhabits rocky coastal cliffs, limestone outcrops, and sandy coastal flats along Cuba's shoreline. It thrives in areas with high salt exposure and well-drained soils, often growing in crevices and shallow depressions where organic matter accumulates.
Threats
IUCN Red List: Endangered
Cuban purslane faces severe threats from habitat destruction due to coastal development, tourism infrastructure, and urban expansion along Cuba's coastlines. The species' extremely limited distribution makes it particularly vulnerable to localized disturbances, while invasive plant species compete for the same specialized coastal habitats.
Coastal development and tourism infrastructure
Urban expansion and construction
Habitat fragmentation
Invasive plant species competition
Sea level rise and coastal erosion
Community Sightings
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Sources & Attribution
How to Cite
IUCN: IUCN (2025). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2025-1. Available at: https://www.iucnredlist.org. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2025-1.RLTS
GBIF: GBIF.org (2025). GBIF Home Page. Available at: https://www.gbif.org
This page: SpeciesRadar (2025). Cuban purslane (Portulaca biloba). SpeciesRadar: Intelligence for Earth's Biodiversity. Available at: https://speciesradar.org/species/cuban-purslane