Aizoaceae
Trianthema

Trianthema portulacastrum L.

First published in Sp. Pl.: 223 (1753)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Tropics & Subtropics. It is an annual or biennial and grows primarily in the seasonally dry tropical biome. It is used as animal food, a poison and a medicine, has environmental uses and for food.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Bernal, R., G. Galeano, A. Rodríguez, H. Sarmiento y M. Gutiérrez. 2017. Nombres Comunes de las Plantas de Colombia. http://www.biovirtual.unal.edu.co/nombrescomunes/

Vernacular
araña de perro, verdolaga
[UNAL]

Bernal, R., Gradstein, S.R. & Celis, M. (eds.). 2015. Catálogo de plantas y líquenes de Colombia. Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogotá. http://catalogoplantasdecolombia.unal.edu.co

Distribution
Nativa en Colombia; Alt. 0 - 120 m.; Llanura del Caribe.
Morphology General Habit
Hierba
Conservation
No Evaluada
[CPLC]

Aizoaceae, M. L. Gonçalves. Flora Zambesiaca 4. 1978

Morphology General Habit
A prostrate somewhat succulent annual herb, subglabrous, the young parts shortly hairy; stems up to 50 cm. or more, procumbent or ascending, spreading.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, one of each pair much smaller than the other, leaf-lamina 3–45 × 3–40 mm., obovate, broadly obovate or almost circular, entire, obtuse, rounded or retuse, sometimes slightly apiculate at apex, cuneate at base, glabrous or sparsely hairy on the midrib below, petiolate, stipulate; petiole 2–20 mm. long, sparsely hairy, expanded into a sheathing membranous base connate with that of the opposing leaf; stipules up to 3 mm. long, narrowly triangular-acuminate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers axillary, solitary, partly hidden by the sheathing leaf-bases.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth segments up to 5 mm. long, pinkish or yellowish, the tube longer than the acute lobes with a dorsal apiculus.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10–20, inserted on the calyx-tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary truncate, 2-lobed; style 1.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 3–12, compressed, rounded, with “ammonite-like” markings.
[FZ]

Ficoidaceae, Hutchinson and Dalziel. Flora of West Tropical Africa 1:1. 1954

Morphology General Habit
Rather fleshy, almost glabrous, prostrate herb
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Sepals pink
Ecology
A weed of waste places.
[FWTA]

Distribution
Biogeografic region: Caribbean. Elevation range: 0–120 m a.s.l. Native to Colombia. Colombian departments: Antioquia, La Guajira.
Habit
Herb.
Ecology
Habitat according IUCN Habitats Classification: forest and woodland, savanna, shrubland, wetlands (inland), artificial - terrestrial.
[UPFC]

Aïzoaceae, C. Jeffrey. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1961

Morphology General Habit
A somewhat succulent subglabrous annual herb; stems procumbent or ascending, spreading, glabrous or sparsely hairy, up to 50 cm. long or more.
Morphology Leaves
Leaves opposite, one of a pair much smaller than the other, petiolate, stipulate; blade obovate or broadly so, entire, obtuse, rounded or retuse, sometimes slightly apiculate at apex, cuneate at base, glabrous or sparsely hairy on the midrib below, 4–50 mm. long, 4–45 mm. broad.
Morphology Leaves Petiole
Petiole 2–25 mm. long, distinct, sparsely hairy, expanded into a sheathing membranous base connate with that of the opposing leaf.
Morphology Leaves Stipules
Stipules narrowly triangular, acuminate, up to 3 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers axillary, solitary, partly hidden by the sheathing leaf-bases, hermaphrodite, pinkish or white, 4–5 mm. long.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10–20, inserted on the calyx-tube.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Calyx
Calyx-lobes obtuse, with a dorsal apiculus.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary truncate, bilobed; seeds 3–12.
Habitat
Weed of cultivated ground; 0–250 m.
Distribution
pantropical K7 T3 T6 T8
[FTEA]

M. Thulin. Flora of Somalia, Vol. 1–4 [updated 2008] https://plants.jstor.org/collection/FLOS

Distribution
Pantropical weed sometimes said to have originated in the New World, but clearly a sister species of the next species which is an African endemic.
Morphology General Habit
Annual herb, most parts ± minutely asperous, succulent
Morphology Leaves
Paired leaves very unequal; petiole up to 2.5 cm long, base expanded and connate with adjacent base to form sheath, lateral lobes triangular, up to 3 mm long, acuminate; leaf-blade obovate, up to 5 x 4.5 cm, base cuneate, tip rounded to retuse, upper surface glabrous
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Flowers solitary in axils, partly hidden by sheathing leaf-base
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Perianth
Perianth 4–5 mm long overall; tepals obtuse with dorsal horn, inner face white to pale pink
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Androecium Stamens
Stamens 10–20
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Gynoecium Ovary
Ovary slightly 2-lobed
Morphology Reproductive morphology Seeds
Seeds 3–12, transversely wrinkled.
[FSOM]

Uses

Use Animal Food
Used as animal food.
Use Environmental
Environmental uses.
Use Gene Sources
Used as gene sources.
Use Food
Used for food.
Use Medicines
Medical uses.
Use Poisons
Poisons.
[UPFC]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • Catálogo de Plantas y Líquenes de Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora Zambesiaca

    • Flora Zambesiaca
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Somalia

    • Flora of Somalia
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of Tropical East Africa

    • Flora of Tropical East Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Flora of West Tropical Africa

    • Flora of West Tropical Africa
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2024. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images

  • Universidad Nacional de Colombia

    • ColPlantA database
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Useful Plants and Fungi of Colombia

    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0