Carpobrotus glaucescens

Carpobrotus glaucescens, commonly known as angular sea-fig[1] or pigface, is a species of flowering plant in the ice plant family. It is a succulent coastal groundcover native to temperate eastern Australia.

Carpobrotus glaucescens
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Aizoaceae
Genus: Carpobrotus
Species:
C. glaucescens
Binomial name
Carpobrotus glaucescens
(Haw.) Schwantes

The succulent leaves are 3.5–10 cm long and 9–15 mm wide, straight or slightly curved. The flowers are 3.2–6 cm wide, and light purple. The red to purple fruit is 2–3 cm long and 1.6–2.4 cm wide.[2]

Uses

The fruit pulp is edible, with a flavor like salty strawberry or kiwifruit. The skin is discarded. The leaves are also edible cooked, and can be used as a preserved pickles. Fruit of the plant can also be made into a toffee or jam. Relevant also to treatment of Bull ant stings.The nature of treatment for a Bull ant (Myrmecia)sting depends on the severity of sting as the venom can cause anaphylactic shock in some people, however in the absence of such symptoms this plant has been used as a methods to reduce the nasty pain these common Australian insects can cause. Indigenous Australians use various bush remedies to treat the effected area. Carpobrotus glaucescens (pigface) is one that was traditionally used to treat stung areas using juices that are squeezed and rubbed onto the area, which often quickly relieves the pain from the sting.

References
  1. "BSBI List 2007". Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Archived from the original (xls) on 2015-01-25. Retrieved 2014-10-17.
  2. PlantNET, Carpobrotus glaucescens.


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