Aizoon canariense
L.
Purslane-leaved aizoon, Zulu spinach
(c) Daniel Cahen, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Daniel Cahen
no rights reserved, uploaded by Mirela
(c) Warren R. Francis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Warren R. Francis
What to Eat
Edible parts: Leaves, Seeds
This plant is used as an edible herb.
Where to Find It
It will grow in Mediterranean and tropical climates. Zululand. In Bahrain it grows in sandy or gravelly soils. It can grow in arid places. It is salt tolerant.
Afghanistan, Africa, Bahrain, Canary Islands, Central Africa, Chad, East Africa, Egypt, Eswatini, Iran, Kenya, Mauritania, Mediterranean, Middle East, Mozambique, Namibia, North Africa, Pakistan, Western Sahara, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Southern Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, United Arab Emirates, UAE, West Africa, Zimbabwe, Zululand,
How to Identify
A herb that lies along the ground. It can re-grow each year or continue to grow from year to year. The small branches are zig-zag. The leaves are hairy and taper to a short leaf stalk. The leaves are oval or spoon shaped and alternate. The edges of the leaves curl slightly upwards. The flowers are star shaped. They are in the axils of leaves and the forks of branches. The flowers are 3-8 mm across and do not have stalks.
How to Grow
A plant for arid and semi-arid areas of the tropics and subtropics. Requires a sunny position in a well-drained soil. The plant is often found growing in saline soils in the wild. A very variable plant.
Medicinal Uses
None known.
Other Uses
None known.
Wikipedia
Source ↗Aizoon canariense is a species of small leafy annual plant in the family Aizoaceae.
Notes
There are 12 genera and 170 species in the Aizoaceae. They are succulent plants often in coastal areas of the tropics.
Names & Synonyms
Adda, Hadag, Helmah, Inyongwane, Jafnah, Matsana, Samh, Taghassoult, Tezza
