Home | > | List of families | > | Portulacaceae | > | Portulaca | > | quadrifida |
Synonyms: |
Portulaca foliosa sensu Baker f. |
Common names: | |
Frequency: | |
Status: | |
Description: |
Prostate annual herb, growing from a somewhat swollen taproot. Stems reddish, up to 25 cm long, often rooting at the nodes. Leaves opposite, fleshy, lanceolate, elliptic-oblong, rarely cordate-ovate, up to 10 × 4 mm, often much smaller, somewhat flattened on both surfaces; stipular hairs numerous, up to 3-5 mm long, whitish. Flowers at the ends of branches, solitary or in clusters of 2-4; petals 4, rarely 5, yellow to orange, very rarely pink or purplish, almost free. Stamens 8-12. Capsule conical-ovoid, dehiscing horizontally. |
Notes: | |
Derivation of specific name: | quadrifida: cut into four, referring to the usually 4-merous flowers. |
Habitat: | Mostly as a weed of cultivated and disturbed land in hot and dry areas. |
Altitude range: | |
Flowering time: | |
Worldwide distribution: | Pantropical and subtropical. |
Malawi distribution: | N,S |
Growth form(s): | Annual. |
Endemic status: | |
Red data list status: | |
Insects associated with this species: | |
Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 229. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 45. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 96. Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 134 - 135. (Includes a picture). Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 304. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 294. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 68. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 85. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 94. van der Walt, R. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Limpopo Valley Retha van der Walt, Musina, South Africa Page 246. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 230 - 231. (Includes a picture). Wild, H. (1961). Portulacaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(2) Pages 365 - 366. (Includes a picture). |
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