''Lampranthus spectabilis'', the trailing iceplant (a name it shares with other members of its family), is a species of flowering plant in the family

Aizoaceae The Aizoaceae (), or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing 135 genera and about 1,800 species. Several genera are commonly known as 'ice plants' or 'carpet weeds'. The Aizoaceae are also referred to a ...

, native to the

Cape Provinces The Cape Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "CPP". It includes the Sou ...

of South Africa. The unimproved species and a number of cultivars are commercially available, including 'Tresco Apricot', 'Tresco Brilliant', 'Tresco Fire', 'Tresco Orange', 'Tresco Peach', 'Tresco Pearl', 'Tresco Purple', and 'Tresco Red'.

Phytochemistry

L. spectabilis contains mesembrenol and low levels of related alkaloids such as

mesembrenone Mesembrenone is an alkaloid constituent of '' Sceletium tortuosum'' (Kanna) and minor constituent of ''Lampranthus aureus'' and '' Lampranthus spectabilis''. Similar to modern synthetic antidepressants, it is a potent (IC50 < 1 μM) selective ...

and have sometimes been mismarketed as Kanna (

Sceletium tortuosum ''Mesembryanthemum tortuosum'' or ''Sceletium tortuosum'', commonly known as kanna, channa, kougoed, or Namaqua skeletonfig, is a succulent plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. Traditionally, it has been fe ...

) extract which contains higher levels of related alkaloids.

References

spectabilis Garden plants of Southern Africa Endemic flora of the Cape Provinces Plants described in 1930 Taxa named by N. E. Brown Taxa named by Adrian Hardy Haworth {{Aizoaceae-stub