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.
Traditional medicinal use
Functionality
Functional constituents
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.
Flowers
Flowers