Carpobrotus edulis

(Linnaeus) N. E. Brown in E. P. Phillips

in E. P. Phillips, Gen. S. Afr. Fl. Pl., 249. 1926.

Common names: Hottentot-fig
IntroducedIllustrated
Basionym: Mesembryanthemum edule Linnaeus Syst. Nat. ed. 10, 2: 1060. 1759
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 87. Mentioned on page 76, 85, 86.

Stems to 3 m; bark persistent, leathery. Leaves green; blade sharply 3-angled in cross-section, widest proximal to middle, adaxial side concave, outer angle serrate near apex, 5–11 × 1–1.5 cm. Inflorescences: pedicel 20–60 mm. Flowers 8–10 cm diam.; calyx lobes 10–60 mm; outer 2 lobes sharply 3-angled in cross-section, abaxial angle serrate near apex, 30–60 mm; inner 3 lobes smaller, with membranous margins; petals (including petaloid staminodia) 100–200, yellow, aging pink, 2–4 (–5) -seriate, 30–40 mm; stamens 100 per series, yellow, 4 (–7) -seriate, simple to plumose, 6–8 (–12) mm; anthers yellow; stigmas radiating out over fruits, 8–15 mm. Fruits yellowish, clavate to subglobose, depressed apically, 20–35 mm. Seeds ca. 1000.2n = 18.


Phenology: Flowering year-round, mostly spring.
Habitat: Coastal dunes, bluffs and terraces, margins of estuaries
Elevation: 0-100 m

Distribution

V4 179-distribution-map.gif

Introduced; Calif., Fla., Mexico (Baja California), South America (Chile), Europe, s Africa, Pacific Islands (New Zealand), Australia

Discussion

Carpobrotus edulis is extensively planted in gardens and along highways and is also used for dune and bluff stabilization. An invasive, introduced species escaped from cultivation, C. edulis hybridizes with other Carpobrotus species. According to W. Wisura and H. F. Glen (1993), pink-flowered plants are seen in the wild only when C. edulis comes in contact with species of Carpobrotus with purple flowers.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"thick" is not a number.

... more about "Carpobrotus edulis"
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
Nancy J. Vivrette +
(Linnaeus) N. E. Brown in E. P. Phillips +
persistent +
leathery +
Mesembryanthemum edule +
curved +  and straight +
proximal +  and middle +
3-angled +
appendaged +, hooded +  and petaloid +
smaller +, larger +  and unequal +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +  and 6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (?) +
Hottentot-fig +
Calif. +, Fla. +, Mexico (Baja California) +, South America (Chile) +, Europe +, s Africa +, Pacific Islands (New Zealand) +  and Australia +
0-100 m +
8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
indehiscent +, circumscissile +, dehiscence +, septicidal +  and loculicidal +
depressed +, clavate +  and subglobose +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br />) +
Coastal dunes, bluffs and terraces, margins of estuaries +
axillary +  and terminal +
connate +
3 (?) +  and 2 (?) +
3-angled +
smaller +
dentate +  and entire +
expanded +
membranous +
5 cm50 mm <br />0.05 m <br /> (11 cm110 mm <br />0.11 m <br />) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
8-12[-25]-loculed +
6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br /> (10 cm100 mm <br />0.1 m <br />) +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (6 cm60 mm <br />0.06 m <br />) +
pink;yellow +
distinct +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (4 cm40 mm <br />0.04 m <br />) +
Flowering year-round, mostly spring. +
8-12[-25]-carpellate +
in E. P. Phillips, Gen. S. Afr. Fl. Pl., +
tuberculate +
compressed +  and obovoid +
Introduced +  and Illustrated +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.2 cm12 mm <br />0.012 m <br />) +
connate +  and distinct +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br />) +
mat-forming +
underground +
0 cm0 mm <br />0 m <br /> (300 cm3,000 mm <br />3 m <br />) +
0.8 cm8 mm <br />0.008 m <br /> (1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br />) +
adnate +  and free +
connate +  and distinct +
Carpobrotus edulis +
Carpobrotus +
species +
perennial +  and annual +