Portulaca kermesina
N.E.Br.
Portulacaceae
Portulaca crocodilorum Poelin.
Portulaca fischeri prominens Poelin.
Portulaca holosericea Peter
Portulaca rubriflora Poelin.
Common Name:
General Information
Portulaca kermesina is an erect annual or short-lived perennial, succulent plant usually growing 8 - 15cm tall, occasionally to 25cm[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
The plant is harvested from the wild for local medicinal use.
Known Hazards
None known
Botanical References
308- Title
- Flora Zambesiaca
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://apps.kew.org/efloras/fz/intro.html
- Publisher
-
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- An excellent online flora of plants from the Zambezi River basin. It lists a number of the plant uses as well as the habitats and botanical descriptions of the plants.
Range
Eastern and Southern Africa - Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Kenya, eastern DR Congo, Tanzania, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, S. Mozambique, S. Africa.
Habitat
Dry sandy or gravelly soils among rocks; open woodland or margins of pans and seasonal swamps; Acacia-Commiphora bushland; in crevices of granite outcrops; at elevations from sea level to 2,200 metres[
328- Title
- African Flowering Plants Database
- Publication
-
- Author
-
- Website
- http://www.ville-ge.ch/musinfo/bd/cjb/africa/recherche.php
- Publisher
- Conservatoire et Jardin Botaniques.
- Year
- 0
- ISBN
-
- Description
- Contains information on over 150,000 plant names (including synonyms) giving a description and habitat, plus a distribution map.
].
Properties
| Medicinal Rating |  |
| Habit | Annual/Perennial |
| Height | 0.12 m |
| Cultivation Status | Wild |
Cultivation Details
Not known
Edible Uses
None known
Medicinal
The plant is probably antibacterial or disinfectant[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
]. The whole plant is dried and then pulverised. The resulting powder is then mixed with an oil or fat and rubbed on to affected areas of the skin in the treatment of irritations such as scabies or itching[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
]. The crushed and infused leaves are used to make a wash for the same purposes[
775- Title
- Gemsbok Bean and Kalahari Truffle
- Publication
-
- Author
- Leffers A.
- Publisher
- Gamsberg MacMillan; Namibia.
- Year
- 2003
- ISBN
- 99916-0-491-X
- Description
- Details of the traditional uses of over 200 species of plants in northeastern Namibia. Written for the non-expert, there is usually at least one photograph with each plant entry.
].
Other Uses
None known
Propagation
Seed -
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Useful Tropical Plants Database 2014 by
Ken Fern,
web interface by
Ajna Fern
with help from
Richard Morris.
