Ceylon Spinach
Talinum fruticosum (L.) Juss.
Talinum fruticosum (L.) Juss., a member of the family Talinaceae, is a herbaceous perennial native to regions including Mexico, the Caribbean, West Africa, Central America, and South America. It is commonly known as Ceylon spinach and is cultivated in tropical areas as a leaf vegetable. The species has a broad distribution across Colombia, including departments such as Antioquia, Atlántico, and Valle del Cauca, as well as in countries like Angola, Argentina, and the United States. It was first described in 1789.
Description
Talinum fruticosum is a plant species known by several common names, including Ceylon spinach, waterleaf, and Surinam purslane. It is widely cultivated in tropical climates for its edible leaves. The species has been recorded in various regions of Colombia, including the departments of Atlántico, Bolívar, and Magdalena, as well as in national parks such as Macuira and Tayrona. It has also been reported in countries such as Honduras, Guatemala, and Argentina. The name was first published in 1789 and has been subject to taxonomic discussion, including being considered a superfluous name for Portulaca triangularis Jacq. However, it is now consistently used in the genus Talinum.
Other common names
Verdolaga-francesaSurinam-purslanePhilippine-spinachCeylon-spinachsweetheartwaterleafCeylon Spinach
Distribution
Atlántico: Finca El Palomar · Atlántico, Bolívar, Cesar, Magdalena, Tolima, Valle del Cauca · Parque Nacional Natural Macuira Vía Parque Isla de Salamanca | Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona | Parque Nacional Natural Los Katíos · CU · BR · La Unión Esperanza María · Aratoca | Barichara | Capitanejo | Cepitá | Enciso | Piedecuesta | Piedecuesta | San José de Miranda | Tona | Villanueva · IN · CN · Antioquia, Atlántico, Bolívar, Chocó, Cundinamarca, Guainía, La Guajira, Magdalena, Sucre, Tolima, Valle · Amazonia nororiental de Colombia, departamento del Guainía, municipio de Inírida. · Departamento del Tolima, municipio de Saldaña, humedal Caracolí · HN · GT · TW · Hawaii · conterminous 48 United States · Angola · Argentina Northeast · Argentina Northwest · Assam · Bahamas · Benin · Bolivia · Brazil Northeast · Brazil North · Brazil Southeast · Brazil South · Brazil West-Central · Burkina
Synonyms
Ruelingia triangularisTalinum mucronatumTalinum fruticosumTalinum revolutumTalinum triangularePortulaca fruticosaPortulaca triangularisCalandrinia andrewsiiCalandrinia lockhartiiCalandrinia pachypodaClaytonia triangularisClaytonia triangularis var. crassifoliaPortulaca racemosaTalinum crassifoliumPortulaca crassicauleTalinum racemosumTalinum attenuatumTalinum confusumTalinum triangulare var. purpureumPortulaca crassifoliaTalinum andrewsii