Portulaca quadrifida L.

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Photo: Bart Wursten
Hot Springs

Photo: Bart Wursten
Near Shashe Wilderness Camp, Shashe River

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Synonyms:	Portulaca foliosa sensu Baker f.
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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.
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Derivation of specific name:	quadrifida: cut into four, referring to the usually 4-merous flowers.
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Worldwide distribution:	Pantropical and subtropical.
Growth form(s):	Annual.
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Spot characters:	Display spot characters for this species
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. Da Silva, M.C., Izidine, S. & Amude, A.B. (2004). A preliminary checklist of the vascular plants of Mozambique. Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 30 Sabonet, Pretoria Page 96. Fabian, A. & Germishuizen, G. (1997). Wild Flowers of Northern South Africa. Fernwood Press, Vlaeburg. Pages 134 - 135. (Includes a picture). 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. Phiri, P.S.M. (2005). A Checklist of Zambian Vascular Plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 32 Page 85. Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 94. van der Walt, R. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Limpopo Valley Retha van der Walt, Musina, South Africa Page 246. (Includes a picture). Van Wyk, B. & Malan, S. (1988). Field Guide to the Wild Flowers of the Witwatersrand and Pretoria Region Struik, Cape Town Pages 230 - 231. (Includes a picture). 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 Mozambique: 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