Portulaca quadrifida L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Chitengo Camp, Gorongosa National Park.

Photo: Bart Wursten
Sandforest Loop, Gorongosa National park.

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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(s):	Annual.
Endemic status:
Red data list status:
Insects associated with this species:
Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
Content last updated:	Sunday 18 March 2012
Literature:	Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 229. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 45. Heath, A. & Heath, R. (2009). Field Guide to the Plants of Northern Botswana including the Okavango Delta Kew Publishing Page 304. (Includes a picture). Kirby, G. (2013). Wild Flowers of Southeast Botswana Struik Nature, Cape Town South Africa Page 294. (Includes a picture). 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 365 - 366. (Includes a picture).

Other sources of information about Portulaca quadrifida:

Our websites:

Flora of Botswana: Portulaca quadrifida
Flora of Malawi: Portulaca quadrifida
Flora of Zambia: Portulaca quadrifida
Flora of Zimbabwe: Portulaca quadrifida

External websites:

African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Portulaca quadrifida
African Plant Database: Portulaca quadrifida
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Portulaca quadrifida
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Portulaca quadrifida
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Portulaca quadrifida
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Portulaca quadrifida
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Portulaca quadrifida
JSTOR Plant Science: Portulaca quadrifida
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Portulaca quadrifida
Plants of the World Online: Portulaca quadrifida
Tropicos: Portulaca quadrifida
Wikipedia: Portulaca quadrifida