Tetragonia

Tetragonia
Tetragonia tetragonoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Aizoaceae
Genus:	Tetragonia L.
Species
About 50-60 species, including: Tetragonia angustifolia Tetragonia arbuscula Tetragonia copiapina Tetragonia coronata Tetragonia cristata Tetragonia crystallina Tetragonia decumbens Tetragonia diptera Tetragonia eremaea Tetragonia espinosae Tetragonia fruticosa Tetragonia herbacea Tetragonia implexicoma Tetragonia macrocarpa Tetragonia maritima Tetragonia ovata Tetragonia moore Tetragonia nigrescens Tetragonia pedunculata Tetragonia tetragonoides Tetragonia trigyna Tetragonia vestita

Tetragonia is a genus of 50–60 species of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to temperate and subtropical regions mostly of the Southern Hemisphere, in New Zealand, Australia, southern Africa and South America.

Description

Plants of the Tetragonia genus are herbs or small shrubs. Leaves are alternate and succulent, with flowers typically yellow and small . Fruit are initially succulent but become dry and woody with age. The genus name comes from "tetragonus", meaning "four-angled" and referring to the shape of the plants' fruits.

Human use and cultivation

The best known species of Tetragonia is the leafy vegetable food crop, Tetragonia tetragonioides ("New Zealand spinach"). New Zealand spinach is widely cultivated as a summer leafy vegetable.

Some of the other species are also eaten locally, such as Tetragonia decumbens ("Dune spinach") which is a local delicacy in its native southern Africa.

References

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