Editing Carpobrotus edulis (section)

== Description ==

''Carpobrotus edulis'' is a creeping, mat-forming [[succulent]] species. It grows year round, with individual shoot segments growing more than 1&nbsp;m (3&nbsp;ft) per year.<!--(D’Antonio 1990b)-->{{citation needed|reason=complete|date=November 2012}} It can grow to at least 50&nbsp;m (165&nbsp;ft) in diameter. The [[leaves]] are a dull-green or yellow-green colour. They are very slightly curved and have serrated sides near the tips.<ref>{{cite web |title=Medicinal plants of Fernkloof |url=http://fernkloof.com/medicinal-plants.mv |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120729060500/http://fernkloof.com/medicinal-plants.mv |archive-date=2012-07-29}}</ref>

The yellow flowers are produced from April to October, and range from {{Convert|6.4 to 15.2|cm|abbr=off|frac=2}} in diameter.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Spellenberg |first=Richard |url=https://archive.org/details/nationalaudubons00spel/page/330/ |title=National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Wildflowers: Western Region |publisher=Knopf |year=2001 |isbn=978-0375402333 |edition=rev |pages=330–331 |orig-date=1979}}</ref> Two of the calyx lobes are longer, extending further than the petals. The flowers open in the morning in bright sunlight and close at night.<ref name="PZA" /> The [[Receptacle (botany)|receptacle]] is somewhat wedge-shaped, tapering down to the pedicel.<ref>Wisura, W. & Glen, H.F. (1993). The South African species of ''Carpobrotus'' (Mesembryanthema-Aizoaceae). ''Contributions from the Bolus Herbarium'' '''15''':76–107.</ref> The fruit is multi-chambered, ripening from green to yellow.<ref name=":0" />

=== Chemistry ===
''C. edulis'' contains [[rutin]], [[neohesperidin]], [[hyperoside]], [[catechin]] and [[ferulic acid]]; these contribute to the [[antibacterial]]<ref>Purification and identification of active antibacterial components in Carpobrotusedulis L. Elmarie van der Watt and Johan C Pretorius, Journal of Ethnopharmacology, June 2001, Volume 76, Issue 1, pp. 87–91, {{doi|10.1016/S0378-8741(01)00197-0}}</ref> properties of the plant. It also contains [[procyanidin]]s and [[propelargonidin]]s.<ref>LC/ESI-MS/MS characterisation of procyanidins and propelargonidins responsible for the strong antioxidant activity of the edible halophyte Mesembryanthemum edule L. Hanen Falleh, Samia Oueslati, Sylvain Guyot, Alia Ben Dali, Christian Magné, Chedly Abdelly and Riadh Ksouri, {{doi|10.1016/j.foodchem.2011.02.049}}</ref>

=== Similar species ===
The species is easily confused with its close relatives, including the more diminutive and less aggressive ''[[Carpobrotus chilensis]]'' (sea fig), with which it [[Hybrid (biology)|hybridizes]] readily. ''C.&nbsp;edulis'' can, however, be distinguished from most of its relatives by the size and yellow colour of its flowers. The smaller flowers of ''C.&nbsp;chilensis'', {{convert|3.8 to 6.4|cm|abbr=on|frac=4}} in diameter, are deep magenta.