is it some *Crassula spp.? (C. ovata)* On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 9:57 PM, tanay bose <[email protected]> wrote:
> Dear All, > The plant in the attched photo is *Portulacaria afra* *Jacq. *Family: > Portulaceae [Common names: Porkbush, Elephants Food ].*Portulacaria afra * is > a popular succulent garden plant in use around the world and is often > used for bonsai. It has now been shown to be effective in carbon > sequestration (binding atmospheric carbon which is responsible for climate > change), in semi-arid landscapes and thicket vegetation it is also being > used for restoration purposes.The name *Portulacaria *is composed of > *Portulaca > *+ *aria *suggesting a similarity to the genus *Portulaca.* The word *afra > *is in reference to the fact that the plant occurs in Africa. > > The leaves of the porkbush can be eaten and have a sour or tart flavour. It > is heavily browsed by game and domestic stock and highly favoured by > tortoises. The porkbush has also been indicated as a soil binder for > preventing soil erosion. Traditional uses also include the increasing of > breast milk by lactating mothers. The leaves are used to quench thirst, > sucking a leaf is used to treat exhaustion, dehydration and heat stroke. > Crushed leaves can be rubbed on blisters and corns on the feet to provide > relief. The leaves are chewed as a treatment for sore throat and mouth > infections while the astringent juice is used for soothing ailments of the > skin such as pimples, rashes and insect stings. The juice is also used as an > antiseptic and as a treatment for sunburn. It is also recorded that a small > sprig of porkbush steamed with a tomato bredie (stew) imparts a delicious > flavour. The honey made from the flowers of porkbush is said to be “ > *unsurpassable > in flavour and texture” *by one reference (Roberts 1990). > Recent research has shown the Porkbush to be an excellent ‘carbon sponge' > as it has the ability to sequestrate (absorb) free carbon from the > atmosphere which is used to make plant tissue. Carbon is one of the major > greenhouse gases which are responsible for the warming of the earth's > atmosphere; it is produced in excess by burning of fossil fuels. Currently, > humans are producing atmospheric carbon faster than the environment can > absorb it, causing a deficit which remains in the atmosphere and causes heat > from the sun to be trapped instead of being radiated back out into space. > The porkbush has the unique ability to absorb more carbon from the > atmosphere than most other plants and it does so particularly efficiently. A > stand of Pork bush consequently has the ability to remove more carbon from > the atmosphere than an equal amount of deciduous forest. > How does it manage this? The porkbush has the ability to make use of two > different photosynthetic pathways, when conditions are favourable it > manufactures its food to sustain growth by using the same method (pathway) > that most other plants use. However, when conditions are not favourable and > other plants have to shutdown and wait for sufficient rain, the porkbush can > switch to a different pathway called CAM (Crassualean Acid Metabolism) > whereby it can continue to grow and slurp up huge amounts of carbon despite > adverse climatic conditions. This allows the plant to excel in the arid or > semi-arid conditions that it is native to. > Further to its carbon habit, the large spreading shrub covers and shades > the soil from the harmful rays of the sun creating a favourable environment > under the bush for insects and other wildlife to inhabit, while the dead > organic matter which accumulates under the bushes has an enriching effect on > the soil. This further enrichment of the soil improves its water-holding > capacity which further benefits the porkbush as well as other plants and > animals including micro-organisms, which occur in the area. > Projects now active in the areas where the porkbush occurs seek to utilize > it as a rehabilitation aid to restore over-utilized natural habitats to > their formerly productive state. At the same time these sites act as carbon > sinks (kind of carbon bank) where carbon can be collected and used where it > belongs and is productive to both humans and the environment. Potential > earnings through carbon credits could be translated into social upliftment > in the areas where this plant is being utilized. > This versatile plant can be used in full sun or semi-shade in dry areas or > even in well-watered flowerbeds. It can tolerate a moderate degree of frost, > especially when mature. (It is also used as a rootstock for grafting the > closely related but more difficult to grow *Ceraria namaquensis *(Namaqua > porkbush) which cannot tolerate water around its roots as it comes from very > dry areas). > The porkbush can be used as a screen or even a clipped hedge. It also makes > a handsome and hardy Bonsai. Various different forms are found in > cultivation, most of which originate from the Karoo Desert National > Botanical Garden in South Africa (Ian Oliver pers. com.) These forms include > a prostrate low growing ground cover, ‘Prostrata'; a shrubby form with small > round leaves which turn an attractive yellow in full sun, ‘Aurea' and > ‘Foliis variegatus' a slow growing variegated form which is well suited to > pot culture. Another variegated form known as ‘Medio-picta' has green leaves > with whitish markings spreading from the centre. A large-leaved form known > as ‘ Limpopo ' has much larger, more ovate leaves that can measure up to 20 > - 30mm long and 15 – 20mm wide. This form represents the northern > populations which extend into the northern provinces of South Africa and > Mozambique. > The porkbush is easily propagated from cuttings, the seed is not often > available. Cuttings or truncheons strike root easily and can even be planted > directly into the ground where they are to be grown. Alternatively cuttings > can be taken in the normal manner and allowed to dry out for a day or two in > a cool, dry place and then planted in washed river sand. Keep them in a warm > shady position until they are rooted and ready to be planted out. Cuttings > root quickly and can usually be planted out after four to six weeks. > > Reagrds > > Tanay > > > On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 8:29 PM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]>wrote: > >> I suppose Portulacaria afra >> >> -- >> Dr. Gurcharan Singh >> Retired Associate Professor >> SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 >> Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. >> Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 >> http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ >> >> >> On Sun, Mar 14, 2010 at 7:05 PM, shrikant ingalhalikar < >> [email protected]> wrote: >> >>> A succulent known by name Jade, do not know any further. Regards, >>> Shrikant >>> >>> On Mar 14, 6:30 pm, "J.M. Garg" <[email protected]> wrote: >>> > Date/Time- *on 12/9/09* >>> > >>> > Location- Place, Altitude, GPS- *in Butterfly Park within Zoo Park in >>> > Hyderabad.* >>> > >>> > Habitat- Garden/ Urban/ Wild/ Type- cultivated >>> > >>> > Plant Habit- Tree/ Shrub/ Climber/ Herb- >>> > >>> > Height/Length- >>> > >>> > Leaves Type/ Shape/ Size- >>> > >>> > Inflorescence Type/ Size- >>> > >>> > Flowers Size/ Colour/ Calyx/ Bracts- >>> > >>> > Fruits Type/ Shape/ Size Seeds- >>> > >>> > Other Information like Fragrance, Pollinator, Uses etc.- >>> > -- >>> > With regards, >>> > J.M.Garg ([email protected])http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 >>> > 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' >>> > Image Resource of more than a thousand species of Birds, Butterflies, >>> Plants >>> > etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): >>> http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg >>> > For learning about Indian Flora, visit/ join Google e-group- >>> Efloraofindia:http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix >>> > >>> > Denaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus) on unided plant I2 IMG_1473.jpg >>> > 208KViewDownload >>> > >>> > Denaid Eggfly (Hypolimnas misippus) on unided plant I IMG_1473.jpg >>> > 186KViewDownload >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "efloraofindia" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> [email protected]<indiantreepix%[email protected]> >>> . >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en. >>> >>> >> >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "efloraofindia" group. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> [email protected]<indiantreepix%[email protected]> >> . >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en. >> > > > > -- > Tanay Bose > +91(033) 25550676 (Resi) > 9830439691(Mobile) > 9674221362 (Mobile) > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "efloraofindia" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]<indiantreepix%[email protected]> > . > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix?hl=en. > -- Regards, Sharvari Barve Mobile: 9422057737 -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. 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