Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E.Br.

Sour fig (en), Figuier des Hottentots (fr), Ficoïde douce (fr), Griffe de sorcière (fr), Carpobrote doux (fr)

Species

Angiosperms > Caryophyllales > Aizoaceae > Ruschioideae > Carpobrotus

Characteristics

Stems to 3 m; bark persistent, leathery. Leaves green; blade sharply 3-angled in cross section, widest proximal to middle, ad-axial 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.
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Mat-forming trailing perennial herb. Stems to 6 m long, glabrous, 2-angled, subwoody at base. Lvs smooth, sharply 3-angled, linear, acute, scarcely tapered to connate base, 70-120 × 12-17 mm, 4-7× as long as wide; keel denticulate, at least near apex. Fls 8-10 cm diam. Calyx glabrous; longest sepals 40-55 mm long. Petals spreading, pale yellow, turning pinkish orange with age, 30-40 mm long. Stamens c. 10 mm long; filaments yellow, hairy at base; anthers yellow. Stigmas (8)-10-12. Seeds brown, obovoid, 1-1.3 mm long.
A succulent small shrub. It is a creeper. It grows 10-15 cm high and spreads 100-150 cm wide. The branches are long and have 2 edges. They branch extensively. They lie along the ground. The leaves are flattened and fleshy. They are 11 cm long. They are 3 angled and bent. The flowers are 9-12 cm across. They are light yellow or pink and occur singly. The fruit are shaped like a top. They have a red tint. They are edible.
Succulent shrub, with trailing robust stems, up to ± 2 m long and winged, 10-15 mm thick internodes. Leaves 3-angled, straight or slightly curved, (40-)50-120(-140) mm long, 7-20 mm thick, dull or pale green. Flowers pedicellate, solitary, 70-90 mm diam., yellow, turning pink when aging. Fruit 7-14-locular, fleshy, an indehiscent berry.
Receptacle top-shaped, tapering into pedicel. Succulent perennial with trailing stems to 2 m long. Leaves straight or slightly curved. Flowers yellow, fading to pink with age, stigmas ± as long as stamens, receptacle top-shaped, tapering into pedicel. Fruits clavate to subglobose, yellowish.
Life form perennial
Growth form shrub
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination entomogamy
Spread endozoochory
Mature width (meter) 1.0 - 1.25
Mature height (meter) 0.1
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway cam

Environment

It is a temperate plant. It is native to South Africa. It requires moisture in hot weather and can be dry in cooler weather. It often grows in rocky dry soils in an open sunny position. It is drought resistant but frost tender. It can grow in arid places. It suits hardiness zones 8-10. Tasmania Herbarium.
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Sandy and rocky places by the sea. Naturalized on cliffs and banks by the sea in Cornwall and S. Devon.
Sandy and rocky places by the sea.
Light 7-9
Soil humidity 1-5
Soil texture 5-9
Soil acidity 3-8
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 8-10

Usage

The leaves are pickled and used as a substitute for pickled cucumbers in salads. The fruit are eaten fresh by chewing off the narrow end and sucking out the slimy sweet-sour contents. They can be dried, cooked, pickled or made into chutneys and preserves. They can be used for jam.
Uses animal food eating environmental use food gene source leaf vegetable material medicinal ornamental stabilisation of sandy soils tanning
Edible fruits leaves
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

They can be grown from seeds or cuttings.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) -
Germination temperacture (C°) -
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment -
Minimum temperature (C°) -12
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Habit

Carpobrotus edulis habit picture by Lucas Hernandez (cc-by-sa)
Carpobrotus edulis habit picture by Lucas Hernandez (cc-by-sa)
Carpobrotus edulis habit picture by Thomas Silvestre (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Carpobrotus edulis leaf picture by Malyshev Egor (cc-by-sa)
Carpobrotus edulis leaf picture by florence molinari (cc-by-sa)
Carpobrotus edulis leaf picture by Melissa Parnell (cc-by-sa)

Flower

Carpobrotus edulis flower picture by Catherine CH (cc-by-sa)
Carpobrotus edulis flower picture by Dmitry Gorelov (cc-by-sa)
Carpobrotus edulis flower picture by Blumia (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Carpobrotus edulis fruit picture by Gilles Istin (cc-by-sa)
Carpobrotus edulis fruit picture by Antonio Casas (cc-by-sa)
Carpobrotus edulis fruit picture by Zsolt Zimmermann (cc-by-sa)

Distribution

Carpobrotus edulis world distribution map, present in Australia, Brazil, France, New Zealand, United States of America, and South Africa

Identifiers

LSID -
WFO ID wfo-0000588263
COL ID RG7K
BDTFX ID 14652
INPN ID 89212
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Abryanthemum edule Mesembryanthemum edule Carpobrotus edulis Carpobrotus edulis var. chrysophthalmus Carpubrotus edulis var. rubescens Mesembryanthemum acinaciforme var. flavum Mesembryanthemum edule var. flavum

Lower taxons

Carpobrotus edulis subsp. edulis Carpobrotus edulis subsp. parviflorus