Knotenblütige Mittagsblume

An annual or subshrub and grows primarily in the subtropical biome. Requires a sunny position. Easily grown in ordinary well-drained garden soil[1 , 52 ]. Succeeds in any well-drained low-fertility soil. This species uses the 'Crassulacean Acid Metabolism' (CAM) pathway to photosynthesis, a mechanism which aids in conserving moisture. The plant keeps its stomata closed during the day, opening them during the night when it takes in carbon dioxide and stores it in compounds such as malic acid. It then utilizes this carbon dioxide when photosynthesizing during the day. This type of mechanism is used by a range of mainly succulent plants, including cacti and Euphorbia species. Slenderleaf iceplant thrives in mild, dry climates with winter lows down to around 10 °F, placing it broadly within USDA Hardiness Zones 8–11. It has become naturalized and is regarded as invasive in some parts of California and other regions outside its native range, where it can spread aggressively in disturbed, salty, or coastal soils [2-3].

The whole plant is consumed as a cereal[1276 ]. A rather strange report - the plant is very succulent. Perhaps it is referring more to either the fruit or the small seed[K ]. Slenderleaf iceplant (Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum) is a small succulent of the carpetweed family (Aizoaceae), native to southern Africa but now found in parts of the Pacific Coast and the Salton Sea basin of California, as well as other coastal or desert habitats worldwide. The seeds are the only part reported as edible, though they are tiny and difficult to harvest in quantity. Other plant parts are not traditionally used as food. The foliage is covered with minute “ice crystals” similar to those of common iceplant. While the leaves taste like ordinary vegetables with a hint of strawberries and a strong salty edge, their actual edibility has not been verified beyond the seeds. Because of their small size, the seeds have limited food value, but they are technically usable. The plant typically blooms from March to May, producing its seeds in spring. [2-3].

Agroforestry Uses: Due to its ability to accumulate salt, this species has been used for the desalination of soil and it has been suggested that it could be used in bioremediation projects[1093 ].

Heimisch: Algeria, Arica and Parinacota Region, Açores, Baleares, Canary Is., Cape Provinces, Corse, Cyprus, Desertas, East Aegean Is., Egypt, France, Germany [I]; Portugal; Spain; Gibraltar; Baleares; France; Corsica; Sardinia; Italy; Sicily; Pantelleria; Isole Pelagie (Lampedusa); Malta; Croatia; Greece (coastal, Kiklades, Limnos); Crete (incl. Gavdos Isl.); Morocco; Western Sahara; Algeria; Tunisia; Libya; Egypt (Nile Delta, NW-coastal Egypt); Azores (Terceira); Madeira (Madeira Isl., Ilhas Desertas, Porto Santo Isl.); Islas Selvagens; Canary Isl. (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, La Gomera, Hierro, La Palma); SW-Namibia; South Africa (N-Cape Prov., W-Cape Prov.); East Aegaean Isl. (Lesvos, Chios, Ikaria, Samos, Dodecanese, Kos, Chalki, Rhodos, Karpathos, Kasos); Turkey (SSW-Anatolia); Iraq (SE-Iraq: Mesopotamia, S-Iraq); Iran (S-Iran, W-Iran); Cyprus (E-Cyprus, N-Cyprus, S-Cyprus, W-Cyprus); Lebanon (coastal W-Lebanon); Syria (C-Syrian Desert); Israel (C-Israel, coastal W-Israel, Rift Valley, N-Israel, N-Negev Desert, Judean Desert); Sinai peninsula (N-Sinai, S-Sinai); Jordania (E-Jordania, S-Jordania); Saudi Arabia (NE-Saudi Arabia, Asir); Kuwait; Bahrain; Qatar; United Arab Emirates; Oman; Pakistan (Baluchistan); Australia [I] (Western Australia [I], South Australia [I], New South Wales [I], Victoria [I]); USA [I] (California [I], Arizona [I], Oregon [I]); Mexico [I] (Baja California [I]); Isla Guadalupe [I]; Argentina [I]; Chile [I] (Atacama [I], Coquimbo [I]), Graciosa Island, Greece, Gulf States, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Kriti, Kuwait, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Madeira Island, Mauritania, Morocco, NO, NW. Balkan Pen., Namibia, North America, NorthernCape, Oman, Palestine, Porto Santo island, Portugal Continental, Sardegna, Saudi Arabia, Selvagens, Sicilia, Sinai, SouthAfrica, SouthernAfrica_FSA, Spain, TR, Terceira Island, Tunisia, Türkiye, Western Sahara, WesternCape, ZA, conterminous 48 United States Eingeführt: AR, AU, Argentina South, Azores, Belgium, CL, California, Chile Central, Chile North, Flemish Region, Germany, HR, MX, Mexican Pacific Is., Mexico Northwest, New Jersey, New South Wales, Portugal, SE, South Australia, TR, Victoria, Walloon Region, Western Australia