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
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 arid 209 33°49'41.20"N /10°52'47.10"E Djerba (Mellita, (Déc.2013; Jan.2016)) Higher arid 209 33°51'41.09"N /10°47'59.06"E Monastir (Falaise Skanès, Déc.2013) Inferior semi-arid 331 35°46'42.88"N / 10°47'39.99"E Monastir Sidi Ghedemssi (Déc.2014) Inferior semi-arid 331 35°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± 0,48 94,02± 3,32 134,14± 1,68 659,76± 0,42 Merchaoui 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
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.