''Tetragonia spicata'' is a
Southern African
Southern Africa is the southernmost subregion of the African continent, south of the Congo and Tanzania. The physical location is the large part of Africa to the south of the extensive Congo River basin. Southern Africa is home to a number of ...
perennial shrub or scrambler.
Description
The species is highly variable but can be recognised by its leaves which are flat (not folded or revolute) and on clear stalks (petiolate).
The flowers are in groups (rarely solitary) in a leafless terminal inflorescence, born on a herbaceous stem. The fruit is small and has a clear secondary ridge.
Related species
This species is frequently confused with ''
Tetragonia arbuscula
''Tetragonia'' is a genus of about 85 species of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to temperate and subtropical regions mostly of the Southern Hemisphere, in New Zealand, Australia, southern Africa and South America.
Description
...
'', but ''T. spicata'' is more herbaceous (less woody), with larger leaves, flowers that are not strictly axillary and secondary ridges between the wings of its fruits.
[Adamson, R.S. 1955. The South African species of Aizoaceae II. ''Tetragonia''. ''Journal of South African Botany'' 21:109.]
References
spicata
Renosterveld
{{Aizoaceae-stub