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Aizoon canariense

Kingdom : Plantae / النّباتات

Division : Spermaphyta / البذريات

Clade : Magnoliophyta or Angiospermae / مستورات البذور

Class : Eudicotyledoneae / ذات الفلقتين

Order : Caryophyllales / رتبة القرنفليات

Family : Aizoaceae /الفصيلة المليحيّة

Genus : Aizoon

species : canariense

Chromosomes: 2n=32

Photos: Merchaoui Henda © DR

Protologue

  • (L.), Sp. Pl., ed. 1, 488 (1753)
  • Common names

    Tunisia Arabic English French Tamazight

    زربيّة لرنب (Djerba)

    حدق
    عداء
     شحيمة 
     شحمة الأرض
    حلمة
     سلى
    قفيعة
    دعداع
    كشاط البلاد

    Carpet – weed

    Aizoon des Canaries

    Taghassoult

    Toxic

  • no
  • Edible

  • yes
  • Latex

  • no
  • Botanic description

    Genus description

    "Flowers with perigone made of 5 lobes, petaloïds with the internal face, welded in tube at the base. Many stamens. Ovary free at 5 carpels topped with 5 thick stigmas.

    Species description

    "

    Stems slightly diffuse pubescent forming a rosette flattened on the ground.
    Leaves small obovate, alternate, without stipule attenuated petiole, slightly pubescent and fleshy.
    Flowers small, axillary solitary, sessile, petal-free, with five sepals, velvety, persistent, triangular, greenish-yellow and 12-15 stamens.
    Fruits pentagonal, red-pink capsules at 5 angles that persist on the dry plant.
    Seeds numerous, reniform, ribbed, red or black.

    Botanic References

  • Pottier-Alapetite G. (1981). Flore de la Tunisie Angiospermes –Dicotylédones (Apétales- Dialypétale , Première partie). Imprimerie Officielle de la République Tunisienne (Eds), 83 p.
  • Edouard LE FLOC’H, Loutfy BOULOS et Errol VELA. (2010). Catalogue synonymique commenté de la FLORE DE TUNISIE. République Tunisienne, Ministère de l’Environnement et du développement durable, Banque Nationale de Gènes. 500 p
  • www.theplantlist.org
  • Biology

    Life form Annuel
    Type form Therophyte
    Photosynthesis C3

    Phenology

    Blooming
    JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember
    Fruiting
    JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember

    Map Localization

    Ecology

    Adaptation A species of loamy soils that behaves often as a ruderal.
    Salt bladder yes
    Invasive no

    Geographical distribution

    Localization Biocimatic stage Annuel pluviometry (mm) GPS
    Djerba (Oualegh, Déc.2013)Higher arid20933°49'41.20"N /10°52'47.10"E
    Djerba (Mellita, (Déc.2013; Jan.2016)) Higher arid20933°51'41.09"N /10°47'59.06"E
    Monastir (Falaise Skanès, Déc.2013)Inferior semi-arid33135°46'42.88"N / 10°47'39.99"E
    Monastir Sidi Ghedemssi (Déc.2014)Inferior semi-arid33135°47'0.74"N/ 10°49'58.18"E

    General uses

  • The plant is used to make easy cooking of meat and beans. In famine times, it is used by the nomads in the Sahara who harvest the seeds in the anthills. They are sweet, consumed when boiled or sliced. When dry, they can also be used for pasture.
  • Medicinal uses

  • "It is traditionally used against food intoxication, warts, loss hair, to treat wounds and for skin care.

  • NOTE : This website is not that of herbal medicine and assumes no responsibility for the negative effects of the use of plants. Seek advice from a professional before using a medicinal plant.

    Systems / Organs / Effects

  • Digestive System
  • Skin
  • Scalp
  • Dispersion mode

    • Barochore (gravity)

    Germination

    Duration

    • Starts around the 3rd day and reaches the maximum around the 8th day

    Image

    Description of the seeds

    Form reniform
    External structure
    Ornamentation ribbed
    Type of seed
    Average length of 10 seeds 0.9 ± 0,1 (mm)
    Average width of 10 seeds 0.3 ± 0,1 (mm)
    Average thickness of 10 seeds 0.1 ± 0,1 (mm)
    Average mass of 100 seeds (g)

    Test results

    TPC DPPH ABTS+ FRAP Year
    mg GAE g-1 MS CI50 g ml-1 CI50 g ml-1 CE50 g ml-1
    8,04± 0,4894,02± 3,32134,14± 1,68659,76± 0,42Merchaoui H. et al. 2019
    Total Phenols content(TPC), Anti-radical potentialities against (DPPH, ABTS), Ferric reducing antioxidant power(FRAP)

    Molecules : ADN / Proteins

    Chromosomes : 32 Uniprot NCBI

    Chemical composition

    Name
    Phenolic acids Cafeic acid link
    Chlorogenic acid link
    Cinnamic acid link
    Gallic acid link
    Proticatechic acid link
    Phenolic compounds Polyphenols

    Tunisian references

  • Chaieb M et Boukhris M. (1998). Flore succincte et illustrée des zones arides et sahariennes de Tunisie. Association pour la protection de la nature et de l’environnement, Sfax. 51 p.
  • Other references

  • Alali QF, Tawaha K, EL-Elimat T, Syouf M, EL-Fayad M, Abulaila K, Joy Nielsen S, Wheaton DW, Falkinham OJ, Oberlies HN (2007). Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of aqueous and methanolic extracts of Jordanian plants: an ICBG project Natural Product Research.;Vol. 21, No. 12, 1121–1131.
  • El Rhaffari U, Zaid A (2003). Pratique de la phytothérapie dans le sud-est du Maroc (Tafilalet). Un savoir empirique pour une pharmacopée rénovée. Des sources du savoir aux médicaments du futur. Origine des pharmacopées traditionnelles et élaboration des pharmacopées savantes 302 p. http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/divers09-03/010030500.pdf
  • Kumar V, Subramaniam B.(1988). Chromosome atlas of flowering plants of the Indian subcontinent. Volume 1. Dicotyledons. Calcutta: Botanical Survey of India,(1987) xxvi, 464p.-. En Chromosome numbers. Geog. 6.
  • Tutin, T. G., V. H. Heywood, N. A. Burges, D. H. Valentine, S. M. Walters and D. A. Webb. (1964) Flora Europaea. Vol. I.
  • Freije, A. M. and J. A. Alkhuzai (2015). Is 5-aminolevulinic acid concentration in plants related to soil salinity? A test with 17 native species of Bahrain. Journal of Arid Environments. 119, 56-60.
  • Grigore MN, Constantin T (2010). Salt-secreting structures of Halophytes. An integrative approach (in Romanian).
  • Qasem, Jamal R (2015) Prospects of wild medicinal and industrial plants of saline habitats in the Jordan valley. 47, 2, 551. -570.
  • Sayed OH (1998) Phenomorphology and ecophysiology of desert succulents in eastern Arabia. Journal of Arid Environments. 40, 2, 177-189.
  • Zohary, M. (1966) Flora Palaestina I. Equisetaceae to Moringaceae.