Trianthema
Encyclopedia
Trianthema is a genus of flowering plant
s in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae
. Members of the genus are annuals
or perennials
generally characterized by fleshy, opposite, unequal, smooth-margined leaves, a prostrate growth form, flowers with five perianth segments
subtended by a pair of bract
s, and a fruit with a winged lid. They are known commonly as horse purslanes.
The contains about 20 described species growing in tropical and subtropical regions, especially Australia
. One common species, Trianthema portulacastrum
, Desert Horse Purslane, is frequent as a weed in agricultural areas and is widely distributed.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae
Aizoaceae
The Family Aizoaceae or Ficoidaceae is a taxon of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1900 species. They are commonly known as stone plants or carpet weeds. Species that resemble stones or pebbles are sometimes called mesembs...
. Members of the genus are annuals
Annual plant
An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...
or perennials
Perennial plant
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...
generally characterized by fleshy, opposite, unequal, smooth-margined leaves, a prostrate growth form, flowers with five perianth segments
Tepal
Tepals are elements of the perianth, or outer part of a flower, which include the petals or sepals. The term tepal is more often applied specifically when all segments of the perianth are of similar shape and color, or undifferentiated, which is called perigone...
subtended by a pair of bract
Bract
In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis, or cone scale. Bracts are often different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture...
s, and a fruit with a winged lid. They are known commonly as horse purslanes.
The contains about 20 described species growing in tropical and subtropical regions, especially Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. One common species, Trianthema portulacastrum
Trianthema portulacastrum
Trianthema portulacastrum is a species of flowering plant in the ice plant family known by the common name desert horse purslane. It is native to areas of several continents, including Africa and North and South America, and present as an introduced species in many other areas...
, Desert Horse Purslane, is frequent as a weed in agricultural areas and is widely distributed.
Selected species
- Trianthema portulacastrumTrianthema portulacastrumTrianthema portulacastrum is a species of flowering plant in the ice plant family known by the common name desert horse purslane. It is native to areas of several continents, including Africa and North and South America, and present as an introduced species in many other areas...
L. – Desert Horse Purslane - Trianthema triquetra Willd.
Formerly placed here
- Zaleya decandra (L.) Burm.f. (as T. decandra L.)
- Zaleya galericulata (Melville) H.Eichler (as T. galericulata Melville)
- Zaleya pentandra (L.) C.Jeffrey (as T. pentandra L.)