Common name: Common Ice Plant
Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L. APNI* Synonyms: Cryophytum crystallinum (L.) Schwantes APNI*
Gasoul crystallinum (L.) Schwantes APNI*
Description: A robust herb or soft spreading shrub to 1 m wide; basal rosette often present.
Leaves ovate or spathulate, to 15 cm long, to 10 cm wide, acute or obtuse, occasionally tinged with red, petiole base partly ensheathing stem.
Flowers 10–15 mm diam. Perianth lobes c. 10 mm long, 10 mm wide, with a rigid point. Petaloid staminodes 12–15 mm long, fused for about two-thirds their length, white with red to pale pink apices. Stamens much shorter than the staminodes. Ovary 5-ridged on top.
Fruit broad-oblong, 6–11 mm long, 5–8 mm wide, perianth lobes sharply reflexed at maturity.
Distribution and occurrence: Native of S Afr.
NSW subdivisions: *CC, *SWP, *NFWP, *SFWP
Other Australian states: *S.A.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & J. Highet
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 1 (1990)
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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