''Carpobrotus dimidiatus'' (commonly known as Natal sourfig) is a succulent

perennial A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wide ...

of the family

Aizoaceae The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1800 species. They are commonly known as ice plants or carpet weeds. They are often called vygies in South Africa and New ...

, native to

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is loca ...

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

Description

The flowers of ''C. dimidiatus'' range bright pink to mauve. The

receptacle Receptacle may refer to: Biology * Receptacle (botany), a plant anatomical part * Seminal receptacle, a sperm storage site in some insects Electrical engineering * Automobile auxiliary power outlet, formerly known as ''cigarette lighter recep ...

is turbiniform to "barrel-shaped" (similar to that of '' C. mellei''), and tapers at the bottom into the

pedicel Pedicle or pedicel may refer to: Human anatomy *Pedicle of vertebral arch, the segment between the transverse process and the vertebral body, and is often used as a radiographic marker and entry point in vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty procedures ...

. It is also often strongly and distinctively double-ridged. The top of the ovary is slightly raised in the centre. The leaves are relatively long and thin. The mature leaves are straight (though the very young leaves can be subacinaciform). They have somewhat canaliculate surfaces and are basally connate. In cross-section they can form an approximate equilateral triangle. They are a dull glaucous-green colour.

Distribution and habitat

Their natural habitat is the coast of

, also stretching south into the Eastern Cape and north into

Mozambique Mozambique (), officially the Republic of Mozambique ( pt, Moçambique or , ; ny, Mozambiki; sw, Msumbiji; ts, Muzambhiki), is a country located in southeastern Africa bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, Tanzania to the north, Mala ...

. In the south or west of its natural range, it transitions into the related species '' Carpobrotus deliciosus''. Its fruits are edible and are grazed by tortoises and other southern African animals.

References

dimidiatus Taxa named by Louisa Bolus Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Aizoaceae-stub