About Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum L.
Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum L. is a succulent plant species in the genus Mesembryanthemum, commonly known as slenderleaf iceplant. It is the type species of the genus. It is native to South Africa, and is also found growing in coastal areas of the Mediterranean Basin, Macaronesia, and the Middle East. It is an introduced species in many other regions, and is sometimes classified as an invasive weed. These regions include several parts of Australia, areas of the western United States, adjacent Mexico, and some Atlantic islands. This species is most often an annual herb. It forms a generally prostrate clump or mat of stems, which reach a maximum length of around 20 centimeters. Small stem branches are covered with knob-like cylindrical fleshy leaves that grow up to 2 centimeters long. The above-ground plant tissue ranges in color from green to bright red, and has a visibly bumpy texture from shiny, bubble-shaped papillae. Its flowers grow either singly or in loose clusters. Each flower is approximately half a centimeter wide, with many narrow to thread-like white or pale yellow petals. The fruit it produces is a capsule that opens when it gets wet to release its seeds.
