Trianthema sanguineumVolkens & Irmsch. [family AIZOACEAE ] Verified by Jeffrey, Trianthema triquetraNot on sheet. [family AIZOACEAE ] (stored under name); Verified by Not on sheet.,
Related name
Trianthema corallicola
Trianthema triquetra
Papularia crystallina
Trianthema erectum
Trianthema crystallina
Trianthema sanguineum
Trianthema sanguinea
Common name
mhalluch (AN) (MAURITANIA, ARABIC (Hassaniya)), Burkill, H.M. 1985. The useful plants of west tropical Africa, Vol. 1
Flora
Entry for TRIANTHEMA triquetra Willd. [family AIZOACEAE]
Herbarium
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (K)
Collection
Flora Somalia
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora Somalia, Vol 1, (1993) Author: by M. G. Gilbert [updated by M. Thulin 2008]
Annual herb, often with most parts tinged reddish. Stems procumbent or prostrate. Leaves very variable: petiole 0–5 mm long, base expanded, clasping and slightly 2-lobed, sometimes persistent on old stems; leaf-blade linear to almost orbicular in some stunted individuals, up to 22 x 4 mm, succulent, oblong-elliptic to ± circular in cross-section. Flowers in clusters, rarely solitary, sessile or nearly so but never joined at base. Perianth 2–4 mm long overall; tepals with subapical thickening forming at the most an obscure mucro up to 0.3 mm long. Stamens 5. Capsule with prominently thickened lid, (1–)2-seeded, lower seed often retained within open capsule. Seeds concentrically wrinkled.
The Somali material, with greenish tepals 2–3 mm long and without bladder-cells, is subsp. triquetra var. triquetra. Var. sanguinea (Volkens & Irmsch.) Jeffrey with larger reddish flowers and with bladder cells on the perianth, is restricted to S Kenya and N Tanzania. Subsp. parvifolia (Sond.) C. Jeffrey replaces subsp. triquetra in South Africa and Namibia.
