Trianthema Explained

Trianthema is a genus of flowering plants 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 bracts, and a fruit with a winged lid. The genus contains about 30 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.^[1]

Taxonomy

The genus Trianthema was first formally described in 1753 by Carl Linnaeus in Species Plantarum.^[2]

Species list

The following is a list of species of Trianthema according to Plants of the World Online as at October 2020:

• Trianthema argentinum Hunz. & A.A.Cocucci (Argentina)
• Trianthema ceratosepalum Volkens & Irmsch. (Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania)
• Trianthema clavatum (J.M.Black) H.E.K.Hartmann & Liede (South Australia)
• Trianthema compactum C.T.White (Queensland, Northern Territory))
• Trianthema corallicola H.E.K.Hartmann & Liede (Kenya, Somalia)
• Trianthema corymbosum (E.Mey. ex Sond.) H.E.K.Hartmann & Liede (South Africa)
• Trianthema crystallinum (Forssk.) Vahl (Bangladesh, Myanmar, Africa, Yemen, South Africa)
• Trianthema cussackianum F.Muell. (Western Australia)
• Trianthema cypseleoides (Fenzl) Benth. (New South Wales)
• Trianthema glossostigma F.Muell. (Northern Territory, Western Australia)
• Trianthema hecatandrum Wingf. & M.F.Newman (Venezuela)
• Trianthema hereroense Schinz (Namibia)
• Trianthema kimberleyi Bittrich & K.M.Jenssen (Western Australia)
• Trianthema megaspermum A.M.Prescott (Northern Territory)
• Trianthema mozambiquense H.E.K.Hartmann & Liede (Mozambique)
• Trianthema oxycalyptrum F.Muell. (Northern Territory, Western Australia)
• Trianthema pakistanense H.E.K.Hartmann & Liede (India, Pakistan)
• Trianthema parvifolium E.Mey. ex Sond. (Angola, Botswana, Cape Provinces, Free State, Namibia, Northern Provinces)
• Trianthema patellitectum A.M.Prescott (Northern Territory, Western Australia)
• Trianthema pilosum F.Muell. (Australia)
• Trianthema portulacastrum L. – Desert horse purslane (many continents)
• Trianthema rhynchocalyptrum F.Muell. (Northern Territory, Queensland)
• Trianthema salsoloides Fenzl ex Oliv. (Angola, Botswana, Cape Provinces, Free State, Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Northern Provinces, Sudan, Tanzania))
• Trianthema sanguineum Volkens & Irmsch. (Kenya, Tanzania)
• Trianthema sheilae A.G.Mill. & J.Nyberg (Eritea, Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Yemen)
• Trianthema triquetrum Willd. ex Spreng. (Sahara to Sahel to South Africa, Indian subcontinent, to Thailand, North-east Jawa to Lesser Sunda Island, Australia)
• Trianthema turgidifolium F.Muell. (Northern Territory, Western Australia)
• Trianthema ufoense H.E.K.Hartmann & Liede (Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia)
• Trianthema vleiense H.E.K.Hartmann & Liede (Cape Provinces, Free State, Northern Provinces)

External links

• Jepson Manual Treatment

Notes and References

1. Web site: Jacobs . Surrey Wilfrid Laurance . Highet . Jeannie . Genus Trianthema . Royal Botanic Garden Sydney . 20 October 2020.
2. Book: Linnaeus . Carl . Species Plantarum . 1753 . Berlin . 223–224 . 20 October 2020.