Download Carpobrotus edulis

Weeds of Australia - Biosecurity Queensland Edition Fact Sheet
Carpobrotus edulis
Scientific Name
Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E. Br.
Synonyms
Carpobrotus acinaciformis auct. non (L.) L. Bolus
Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E. Br. subsp. edulis
Mesembryanthemum acaciniformis L. (misapplied)
Mesembryanthemum edule L.
habit (Photo: Trevor James)
Family
Aizoaceae
Common Names
Cape fig, common Hottentot fig, fig marigold, glaucous pigface, highway iceplant,
Hottentot fig, ice plant, iceplant, introduced pigface, pigface, sour fig, sourfig
habit (Photo: Jackie Miles and Max Campbell)
Origin
Native to South Africa.
Naturalised Distribution
Widely naturalised in southern Australia, but mainly restricted to coastal districts. It is
sparingly naturalised in south-eastern Queensland, naturalised mainly in the coastal
districts of central and southern New South Wales and Victoria, and naturalised in
south-western Western Australia, Tasmania, and south-eastern South Australia (i.e.
extending throughout the coastal regions of the Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula,
Northern Lofty, Murray, South East and Kangaroo Island regions).
leaves and flower (Photo: Trevor James)
Also naturalized in the USA (i.e. California and Florida), Mexico, South America (i.e. Chile
and Argentina), Europe (i.e. Portugal, Italy, France, the United Kingdom, Ireland,
Germany, Spain, Gibraltar, Malta, Albania and Greece), northern Africa (i.e. Tunisia),
New Zealand and French Polynesia.
Habitat
This species becomes naturalised in coastal environs, winter-wet depressions, sandy
pastures, and open woodlands in temperate and sub-tropical regions.
In New Zealand it also grows on cliffs, along railways, and in roadside cuttings and in the
USA it grows in river estuaries.
fleshy paired leaves (Photo: Trevor James)
Habit
A long-lived (i.e. perennial), creeping (i.e. prostrate), plant usually less than 30 cm tall
with spreading stems up to 2 m or more long.
Distinguishing Features
a creeping fleshy plant with spreading stems up to 2 m or more long.
its stems grow on or just below the surface and produce roots at their joints.
its fleshy leaves are stalkless and triangular in cross-section.
its large and showy yellow flowers (7-8.5 cm across) have numerous 'petals'
are borne singly.
its fleshy fruit (2-3 cm across) turn yellowish to reddish-purple as they
close-up of three-sided leaves (Photo: Trevor James)
mature.
flower and flower bud (Photo: Trevor James)
Stems and Leaves
The thick, fleshy (i..e. succulent) stems grow on or just below the surface and produce
roots (i.e. adventitious roots) at their joints (i.e. nodes).
The fleshy (i.e. succulent) leaves are stalkless (i.e. sessile) and oppositely arranged
along the stems. These leaves are elongated in shape (4-10 cm long and 5-17 mm wide)
and triangular in cross-section. They are dark or dull green in colour (often with a
reddish tinge), slightly incurved, with pointed tips (i.e. acute apices). The stems and
leaves are also hairless (i.e. glabrous).
Flowers and Fruit
The large and showy yellow flowers (7-8.5 cm across) are borne singly at the tips of
close-up of immature fruit (Photo: Trevor James)
short side branches (i.e. solitary and terminal on lateral branches). They are borne on a
fleshy stalk (i.e. they are pedicellate) and have numerous false 'petals' (30-35 mm long
and 1.5-2.5 mm wide). The true petals resemble the fleshy (i.e. succulent) leaves and
their bases are fused into a tube (i.e. perianth tube) 15-25 mm long around the ovary. Two of these petals are larger (20-45 mm long), almost
opposite and closely resemble the leaves. The structures that mimic petals are actually derived from modified stamens (i.e. they are petaloid
staminodes). There are about 120-130 of these in each flower and they are arranged in 3-5 rows. They are yellow with whitish coloured bases, but
may turn pinkish with age. Each flower also has very large numbers of stamens (i.e. approx. 400-600) that are arranged in about 6 or 7 rows. The
ovary has 8-10 compartments and is topped with the same number of styles (7-15 mm long). The flowering period extends from late summer to
winter.
The fruit are fleshy (i.e. succulent), rounded in shape (i.e. globular or sub-globose) and turn yellowish to reddish-purple in colour as they mature.
These fruit (2-3 cm across) contain numerous seeds that are embedded in mucilage.
Reproduction and Dispersal
This species reproduces by seed and also vegetatively via its fleshy stems.
Plants spread laterally by vegetative reproduction once established, with individual segments growing up to 1m per year. Pieces of stem segments
and seeds are spread to new areas in dumped garden waste. The seeds can be also dispersed significant distances when birds and other
animals eat the mature fruit.
Environmental Impact
Hottentot fig ( Carpobrotus edulis) is regarded as a significant environmental weed in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia. This species
can form impenetrable mats that cover the ground, smother native species, and reduce the regeneration of native flora. It can even totally displace
native plant communities on sand dunes and destroy coastal habitats in its path. It also causes sand dunes to become stabilised by preventing sand
movement, which hinders the natural processes of disturbance and change in dune environments, and significantly reduces the biological diversity
of dune vegetation.
There is also a concern that Hottentot fig ( Carpobrotus edulis) may hybridise with closely related native species, such as Ross's pigface
( Carpobrotus rossii), reducing their integrity and genetic purity. In Western Australia hybrids of Hottentot fig ( Carpobrotus edulis) and the native
coastal pigface ( Carpobrotus virescens) have been recorded.
Other Impacts
It is also a minor weed of pastures on coastal sandy soils.
Legislation
Not declared or considered noxious by any state government authorities.
Similar Species
Hottentot fig ( Carpobrotus edulis) is very similar to the introduced angular pigface ( Carpobrotus aequilaterus) and several native pigfaces (i.e.
Carpobrotus glaucescens, Carpobrotus modestus, Carpobrotus rossii and Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum). These species can be
distinguished by the following differences:
Hottentot fig ( Carpobrotus edulis) has relatively large yellow flowers (7-8.5 cm across), that sometimes turn pinkish as they mature, and
its leaves are three-sided in cross-section. Its 'petals' (i.e. petaloid staminodes) are white towards the base and each flower has 400-600
stamens.
angular pigface ( Carpobrotus aequilaterus) has relatively large pink or light purple flowers (3.5-8 cm across) and its leaves are threesided in cross-section. Its 'petals' (i.e. petaloid staminodes) are paler, but not white, towards the base and each flower has 250-400
stamens.
native pigface ( Carpobrotus glaucescens) has relatively large pink or light purple flowers (4-6 cm across) and its leaves are three-sided
in cross-section. Its 'petals' (i.e. petaloid staminodes) are white towards the base and each flower has 300-400 stamens.
inland pigface ( Carpobrotus modestus) has relatively small pink or purplish flowers (less than 2 cm across) and its leaves are three-sided
in cross-section. Its 'petals' (i.e. petaloid staminodes) are white towards the base and each flower has 20-80 stamens.
Ross's pigface ( Carpobrotus rossii) has relatively large pink or purplish flowers (3.5-5.5 cm across) and its leaves are three-sided in
cross-section. Its 'petals' (i.e. petaloid staminodes) are white towards the base and each flower has 100-250 stamens.
round-leaves pigface ( Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum) has moderately large pink or purplish flowers (2-5 cm across) and its
leaves are rounded in cross-section. Its 'petals' (i.e. petaloid staminodes) are white towards the base and each flower has 100-250
stamens.
Fact sheets are available from Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) service centres and our Customer Service Centre (telephone 13
25 23). Check our website at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au to ensure you have the latest version of this fact sheet. The control methods referred to in this fact sheet
should be used in accordance with the restrictions (federal and state legislation, and local government laws) directly or indirectly related to each control method. These
restrictions may prevent the use of one or more of the methods referred to, depending on individual circumstances. While every care is taken to ensure the accuracy of
this information, DEEDI does not invite reliance upon it, nor accept responsibility for any loss or damage caused by actions based on it.
Copyright © 2016. All rights reserved. Identic Pty Ltd. Special edition of Environmental Weeds of Australia for Biosecurity Queensland.
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