Portulaca quadrifida L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park.

Synonyms:	Portulaca foliosa sensu Baker f.
Common names:
Frequency:
Status:	Native
Description:	Prostate annual herb, growing from a somewhat swollen taproot. Stems reddish, up to 25 cm long, often rooting at the nodes. Leaves opposite, fleshy, lanceolate, elliptic-oblong, rarely cordate-ovate, up to 10 × 4 mm, often much smaller, somewhat flattened on both surfaces; stipular hairs numerous, up to 3-5 mm long, whitish. Flowers at the ends of branches, solitary or in clusters of 2-4; petals 4, rarely 5, yellow to orange, very rarely pink or purplish, almost free. Stamens 8-12. Capsule conical-ovoid, dehiscing horizontally.
Notes:
Derivation of specific name:	quadrifida: cut into four
Habitat:	Mostly as a weed of cultivated and disturbed land in hot and dry areas.
Altitude range:
Flowering time:
Worldwide distribution:	Pantropical and subtropical.
Mozambique distribution:	N,Z,MS,GI,M
Growth form:
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects (whose larvae eat this species):
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 18 March 2012
Literature:

African Plant Database: Portulaca quadrifida
Biodiversity Explorer (Biodiversity of southern Africa): Portulaca quadrifida
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Portulaca quadrifida
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Portulaca quadrifida
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network) taxonomy for plants report for Portulaca quadrifida
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Portulaca quadrifida
JSTOR Plant Science: Portulaca quadrifida
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Portulaca quadrifida
Tropicos: Portulaca quadrifida
West African Plants database: Portulaca quadrifida