<< Back to Search Results

Pereskia aculeata [family CACTACEAE]

Herbarium
South African National Biodiversity Institute, Compton Herbarium, Cape Town (SAM)
Collection
Flora of Southern Africa
Resource Type
Reference Sources
Entry From
Flora of South Africa, (2003) Author: Dr J.P. Roux
Names
Pereskia aculeata [family CACTACEAE]
Common names
Cactus pereskia L„ Sp. PI. 1: 469 (1753). Pereskia pereskia (L.) Karsten, Deutsch. Flora 888 (1882); Britton & Rose, The Cactaceae 1: 10 (1919).
Information
Shrubby to clambering with long whip-like branches; areoles with 1-3 straight spines near the base of the plant but towards the top with pairs of short hooked spines in the leaf axils. Leaves shortly petiolate, oblong to ovate, 5-7 cm long, 3-4 cm broad, dark glossy green. Flowers aggregated towards the top of the branches, white, cream, yellow or pinkish, ro­tate, 2,5-4,5 cm in diam., with numerous spreading segments and stamens, strongly scented. Ovary beset with leafy scales, often spiny. Berry yellow, about 2 cm in diam., quite smooth when ripe; seeds black, somewhat flat­tened. Fig. 50.
Use
Pereskia aculeata Mill., Gard. Diet. ed. 8 (1768). Type: West Indies.
Range
A garden escape in Natal and countries further north, forming impenetrable hedges. Planted over graves for protection by the Zulus. The fruits are edible and known under various names such as Barbados Gooseberry, Lemon Vine, etc.
Pereskia aculeata [family CACTACEAE]
PDF

Related Materials