Compilation
Portulaca pseudoquadrifida

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Name

Identification
Isotype of Portulaca pseudoquadrifida Poelln. [family PORTULACACEAE ] Verified by Not on sheet, Portulaca quadrifida L. [family PORTULACACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet,
Related name
  • Portulaca quadrifida
  • Portulaca pseudoquadrifida

Flora

Entry for PORTULACA quadrifida L. [family PORTULACACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora of Tropical East Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of Tropical East Africa, page 1, (2002) Author: SYLVIA M. PHILLIPS
Names
PORTULACA quadrifida L. [family PORTULACACEAE], Mant. Pl. Alt.: 73 (1767); Oliv. in F.T.A. 1: 149 (1868); Poelln. in F.R. 37: 275 (1934) & 48: 186 (1940); F.D.-O.A.: 269 (1938); Hauman in F.C.B. 2: 125 (1951); Wild in F.Z. 1: 365, t. 69c (1961); R. Geesink in Blumea 17: 290 (1969); Marais in Fl. Masc. 46: 2, fig. 4–5 (1981); M.G. Gilbert in Fl. Somalia 1: 125 (1993); U.K.W.F., ed. 2: 64, t.10 (1994); M.G. Gilbert & S.M. Phillips in K.B. 55: 790 (2000). Type: Hermann plate, Parad. Bat.: 215 (1698)
PORTULACA squarrosa Peter [family PORTULACACEAE], F.D.-O.A., Descript.: 33, t. 40/2 (1938) & F.D.-O.A.: 269 (1938); Poelln. in F.R. 48: 188 (1940). Type: Tanzania, Lushoto District, W Usambara, between Mandara and Mombo, Peter 4312 (B!, holo.)
PORTULACA parensis Poelln. [family PORTULACACEAE], in F.R. 48: 185 (1940). Type: Tanzania, Pare District, S Pare Mts, between Makania and Wudee, Peter 11938 (B!, holo.)
PORTULACA pseudoquadrifida Poelln. [family PORTULACACEAE], in F.R. 49: 208 (1940). Type: Tanzania, Mahenge/Kilwa district, confluence of the Kilombero (Ulanga) and Luwegu Rs. into the Rufiji, Etete, Schlieben 2392b (B!, holo., K!, photo.)
Information
Prostrate, mat-forming annual or short-lived perennial; stems spreading to 30 cm or more, much branched, rooting freely from the nodes, articulated, fleshy and often flushed reddish. Leaves opposite, elliptic to ovate, 5–10(–14) mm long, 1.5–3(–4) mm wide subacute to obtuse, the nerves obvious; nodes with a dense whorl of whitish hairs 2–6 mm long, some hairs scale-like at the base, a few narrowly lanceolate scales intermixed. Flowers solitary at the tips of short lateral branches, surrounded by 4 involucral leaves and copious hairs. Sepals ovate, 3–4(–5.8) mm long; petals 4, usually yellow, rarely apricot, pinkish or red, 3.5–6(–10) mm long; stamens 7–16; stigma 4-branched. Capsule dehiscing near the base, basal part a very thin persistent rim, lid conical or dome-shaped, 2–4 mm high, thinly papyraceous; seeds semi-orbicular in outline, ± 1 mm long, dull grey, testa cells shallowly convex to domed, often with a central tubercle, the marginal walls obvious, straight and thick.
Range
DISTR. U 1, 2; K 1–7; T 1–3, 6, 8; Z, P throughout Africa and tropical Asia but absent from Australia; warm parts of the New World
Altitude range
0–2000 m
Distribution
KENYA Northern Frontier District Moyale, 3 Nov. 1952, Gillett 14131!;KENYA Kiambu District Kabete, 13 Aug. 1947, Bogdan 1068!;KENYA Masai District 23 km E of Oloitokitok towards Tsavo W National Park, 10 Mar. 1977, Hooper & Townsend 1292!TANZANIA Musoma District Serengeti, Seronera, 4 May 1961, Greenway 10140!;TANZANIA Moshi District Magadini Rainpool in Dutch Corner, 8 Dec. 1969, Richards 24921!;TANZANIA Handeni District between Turiani and Handeni, 1–2 km NW of Mziha, 24 Mar. 1975, Hooper & Townsend 983!UGANDA Karamoja District Mt Moroto, 4 Sept. 1956, Hardy & Bally 10720! & Pian, near Moruangaberu [Emoruagaberru], 21 July 1958, Dyson-Hudson 468!;UGANDA Toro District L. Katwe, 3 Feb. 1945, Greenway & Eggeling 7072!
Notes
P. quadrifida is a common weedy species, sometimes used as a vegetable in Kenya. Plants from dry sandy or rocky places have shorter, stouter internodes than those from more mesic habitats, with overlapping nodal hairs imparting a hairy appearance to the whole plant. Stamen number and flower size are particularly variable. A variant from the N Kenya coast and lower Tana River area has exceptionally large flowers (2 cm wide) with 13 stamens, and testa cells with slightly sinuate marginal walls e.g. R.B. & A.J. Faden 74/1172.

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