Pereskia portulacifolia
(L.) A.P. de Candolle
Barbados gooseberry
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) JCTimyan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) JCTimyan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Yolanda M. Leon, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Description
A cactus. It is shrubby or treelike. It grows 3-5 m high and the trunks are 15-20 cm across. The leaves vary in shape and size. They are spoon shaped or heart shaped and 5-15 mm long by 4-10 mm wide. The twigs have groups of 0-3 spines and there can be groups of 50 on the trunks. They are 10-22 mm long. The flowers occur singly and are pink or purple. They are 3-3.5 cm across. The fruit are almost round and 1.8-3 cm across.
Distribution
A tropical plant.
Where It Grows
Central America, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Hispaniola, West Indies,
Synonyms
Also Known As
Camelia roja
References (4)
- Anderson, E.F., 2001, The Cactus Family, Timber Press. p 570
- Plants of Haiti Smithsonian Institute http://botany.si.edu
- Prodr. 3:475. 1828 (Haw., Syn. pl. succ. 199 (in obs.). 1812, nom. inval.) (As (L.) Haw. ex DC.)
- Smith, N., Mori, S.A., et al, 2004, Flowering Plants of the Neotropics. Princeton. p 75
