TALINUM CAFFRUM

This member of the Talinaceae family is from southern and eastern Africa. It was given this name by Christian Friedrich Ecklon and Carl Ludwig Philipp Zeyher in 1836, grows in well-drained soil, and takes a lots of water in growing-season and plenty of sun. As the photo shows, the flowers are bright yellow. The caudex can reach fifteen centimetres in diameter, the branches grows to 40 centimetres.

The genera name is derived from the Senegalese name for a certain species in Senegal. The species name is derived from the place where it was first collected by the botanist Thunberg: Kaffraria, now part of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. I bought it in Australia with the name T. natalensis. An "unknown" name. I'm pretty sure it came from Tarrington, Melbourne, Australia, the only one with this name on the web. Lost it while I was in South Africa. At the shores of the Muzi Pan Lake, I found many dug-up caudexes. Brought back one small one, which turned up to be a Talinum caffrum. The locals eat the caudex with relish and salt. It flowered, I pollinated it and got seeds. Grit 5mm.