Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd.(Portulacaceae)
- Scientific name
- Talinum triangulare (Jacq.) Willd. (Syn. Talinum fruticosum)
- Family name
- Portulacaceae
- Local name
- So me
Erect perennial herb with swollen roots and obtuse-angular to terete, glabrous, succulent stems, 30–100 cm tall, branches with 2 lateral, basal buds. Leaves arranged spirally to nearly opposite, often crowned at tops of branches, indistinctly or shortly petioled; blades usually spathulate, 3–15 × 1–6 cm, entire and succulent, obtuse to rounded, occasionally notched at apex. Inflorescence a terminal, corymboid thyrse, 5–30 cm long, with 2–5 erect, sharply triangular axes, each with 6–25 flowers; peduncle long. Flowers bisexual, 0.5–2.5 cm in diameter, pedicels elongate after anthesis. Sepals 2, free, green, persistent. Petals 5, obovate, up to 10 × 4 mm, pink. Stamens 20–40. Ovary superior, style bi- to trifid. Fruit a dehiscing capsule, ellipsoid to globular, 4–7 mm long, valves 2–3, elastically dehiscent, yellow. Seeds numerous, compressed globose-reniform, 0.8–1.2 mm long, granulate, glabrous, shining black.
Grows rapidly and easily regenerates through reseeding once established. Propagated by stem cutting. Flowers are produced early and year-round, mainly through self-pollination. Flowers open in the morning.
Talinum triangulare is most easily distinguished from Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn. (a pantropical weed, primarily used as a vegetable in South-East Asia) by its sharply triangular flowering axes (teretes in T. paniculatum). Both species are eaten as vegetables, fried or in minced pork soup.
Talinum triangulare is most easily distinguished from Talinum paniculatum (Jacq.) Gaertn. (a pantropical weed, primarily used as a vegetable in South-East Asia) by its sharply triangular flowering axes (teretes in T. paniculatum). Both species are eaten as vegetables, fried or in minced pork soup.