Common Name:

General Information

Talinum portulacifolium is a perennial, herbaceous plant with grey, succulent stems that sprout from a thickened root that is sometimes creeping. The stems, which can sometimes become softly woody, usually grow up to 1 metres long, occasionally to 3 metres[, ].
The plant is gathered from the wild for local use as a food and medicine. It is sometimes cultivated in tropical Africa and India as a vegetable, and is also grown as an ornamental plant[, ].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - Nigeria to Ethiopia and Eritrea, south to northern South Africa; Arabian Peninsula, E. Asia - India.

Habitat

Common in a wide range of habitats, from rocky locations to grassland, in open bushland and thickets, along water courses and as a weed in fields, found at elevations from sea-level up to 2,200 metres[].

Properties

Weed Potential	Yes
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Cultivation Status	Cultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

The plant is considered to be a weed within its native range[].

Edible Uses

Leaves and young stems - raw or cooked[, , ]. Used as a vegetable or added to salads[]. The leafy stem parts are often cooked together with Bidens or Cleome leaves, or mixed with coconut milk or pounded groundnuts and eaten with the staple food[, ]. The leaves can also be stored dry for later use[].

Medicinal

The leaves are used in the treatment of eye diseases[]. A decoction is used as a remedy for constipation[, ].

The root is used in the treatment of coughs and gonorrhoea[].

The plant is credited with aphrodisiac properties[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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