| Home | > | List of families | > | Portulacaceae | > | Talinum | > | caffrum |
Talinum caffrum
Selected images: Click on each image to see a larger version and details of the record View all images (4)
Photo: Bart Wursten
Zambezi National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Zambezi National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Zambezi National Park.
Photo: Bart Wursten
Zambezi National Park.
Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps
Species details: Click on each item to see an explanation of that item (Note: opens a new window)
| Synonyms: |
Portulaca caffra Thunb. |
| Common names: | Porcupine-root (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Erect or suberect perennial herb, up to 40 cm tall, growing from a swollen tuber-like root. Leaves and stems somewhat fleshy. Leaves elliptic-lanceolate, up to 6 × 1.5 cm; margin sometimes rolled under. Flowers axillary, mostly solitary, rarely in clusters of 2-3, yellow,up to 2 cm in diameter, opening in the afternoon and fading by nightfall. Fruit a subglobose capsule. Seeds c. 20, shiny black with a white hilum, 1.5-2 mm in diameter, with raised concentric ridges on the surface (visible with a lens). |
| Notes: | Similar to T. tenuissimum and T. arnotii. The 3 species are mainly separated on the surfaces of the seeds and leaf shapes. |
| Derivation of specific name: | caffrum: from Kaffraria, or South Africa |
| Habitat: | In open woodland and grassland. |
| Flowering time: | Nov - Mar |
| Worldwide distribution: | From Ethiopia, Sudan to Angola, Namibia and South Africa |
| Botswana distribution: | SE |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Content last updated: | Monday 23 January 2017 |
| Literature: |
Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 305. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 216. (Includes a picture). Linley, K. & Baker, B. (1972). Flowers of the Veld Bundu Series Longman Zimbabwe Page 33. 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. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 94. Wild, H. (1961). Portulacaceae Flora Zambesiaca 1(2) Pages 370 - 371. (Includes a picture). |
Other sources of information about Talinum caffrum:
Our websites:
Flora of Burundi: Talinum caffrumFlora of Malawi: Talinum caffrum
Flora of Mozambique: Talinum caffrum
Flora of Zimbabwe: Talinum caffrum
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Talinum caffrumBHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Talinum caffrum
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Talinum caffrum
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Talinum caffrum
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Talinum caffrum
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Talinum caffrum
JSTOR Plant Science: Talinum caffrum
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Talinum caffrum
Plants of the World Online: Talinum caffrum
Tropicos: Talinum caffrum
Wikipedia: Talinum caffrum
| Home | > | List of families | > | Portulacaceae | > | Talinum | > | caffrum |