AIZOACEAE

(Figmarigold or Carpetweed or Mesembryanthemum family)

• Medicinal / Folk-medicinal aspects:  •
• Adverse effects: There is evidence for the existence of weak irritants in certain species. •
• Veterinary aspects: •

According to Mabberley (1987), the 2400 species in the 114 genera that make up this family are particularly strongly represented in South Africa. Others occur in tropical Africa, Australia, South and Central America, and in California, USA. Brummitt (1992), however, recognises 128 genera.

Many species are decorative and are widely cultivated. Some, notably Mesembryanthemum crystallinum L., the ice plant, have become naturalised in many parts of Europe.

Aizoon africanum (L.) Klak

[syn. Galenia africana L.]

Kraalbush

Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk (1962) noted that decoction of Galenia africana is used as a lotion for wounds in man and animal; that the Hottentot chew the plant to relieve toothache and it is said to blister the mucous membrane of the mouth if used too much; and that a decoction is used as a lotion for [unspecified] skin diseases and for the relief of inflammation of the eyes.

Carpobrotus edulis (L.) N.E.Br.

[syn. Mesembryanthemum edule L.]

Hottentot Fig, Highway Ice Plant, Ice Plant, Sour Fig, Vygie

In the traditional medicine of Southern and Eastern Africa, the juice has been applied locally to ringworm, and has been used in the treatment of severe infantile eczema, and as a lotion for burns and scalds (Watt & Breyer-Brandwijk 1962).

Mesembryanthemum L.

Hjorth (1968) reported that one patient from 19 tested gave a positive patch test response to an unnamed species of Mesembryanthemum.

Mollugo L.

The plant juices of Mollugo hirta Thunb. and Mollugo oppositifolia L. have been used in India as a treatment for itching and other skin diseases (Nadkarni 1976, Lewis & Elvin-Lewis 1977).

The genus Mollugo may occasionally be found classified in the family Molluginaceae.

Ruschia spinosa (L.) Dehn

[syns Eberlanzia hospitalis (Dinter) Schwantes, Eberlanzia spinosa (L.) Schwantes, Mesembryanthemum spinosum L.]

Spiny Ruschia, Thorny Vygie

This species is occasionally found in collections of succulent plants.^a It bears curious rectangularly branched thorns at the branch tips.^b,c

^a https://seedsandall.co.za/product/thorny-vygie-spiny-ruschia-ruschia-spinosa-5-seed-pack/; accessed February 2025
^b https://pza.sanbi.org/ruschia-spinosa; accessed February 2025
^c https://www.desert-tropicals.com/Plants/Aizoaceae/Eberlanzia.html; accessed February 2025

Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L.

[syns Halimus portulacastrum (L.) Kuntze, Portulaca portulacastrum L., Sesuvium acutifolium Miq.]

Shoreline Sea Purslane, Samphire

According to Díaz (1976), the plant is caustic.

The common name sea purslane may also refer to the unrelated Atriplex portulacoides L. (syn. Halimione portulacoides (L.) Aellen, fam. Amaranthaceae) or Honckenya peploides (L.) Ehrh. (syn. Arenaria peploides L., fam. Caryophyllaceae), and the common name samphire may also refer to Crithmum maritimum L. (fam. Umbelliferae).

References

• Brummitt RK (1992) Vascular Plant Families and Genera. Kew: Royal Botanic Gardens [WorldCat]
• Díaz JL (Ed.) (1976) Usos de las Plantas Medicinales de México. [Uses of Medicinal Plants from Mexico]. México: Instituto Mexicano para el Estudio de las Plantas Medicinales [WorldCat] [url]
• Hjorth N (1968) Personal communication to Mitchell JC. In: Mitchell J, Rook A (1979). Vancouver: Greengrass, p. 51 [WorldCat]
• Lewis WH, Elvin-Lewis MPF (1977) Medical Botany. Plants affecting man's health. New York: John Wiley [WorldCat]
• Mabberley DJ (1987) The Plant-Book. A portable dictionary of the higher plants. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
• Nadkarni AK (1976) Dr. K. M. Nadkarni's Indian Materia Medica. With ayurvedic, unani-tibbi, siddha, allopathic, homeopathic, naturopathic & home remedies, appendices & indexes, Revised enlarged and reprinted 3rd edn, Vols 1 & 2. Bombay: Popular Prakashan [WorldCat] [url] [url-2]
• Watt JM, Breyer-Brandwijk MG (1962) The Medicinal and Poisonous Plants of Southern and Eastern Africa. Being an account of their medicinal and other uses, chemical composition, pharmacological effects and toxicology in man and animal, 2nd edn. Edinburgh: E & S Livingstone [doi] [WorldCat] [url] [url-2]

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