Australian Pig Face

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• Australian Pig Face
• Karkalla

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Mesembryanthemum rossii

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant, Carpobrotus rossii, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Caryophyllales. Finally, it is a member of the family Aizoaceae and falls under the genus Carpobrotus.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant, Carpobrotus rossii, exhibits a broad geographical distribution across several regions of Australia. It is commonly found growing along the coastal areas of Western Australia. Furthermore, the species is well-established throughout the state of Victoria. Its presence extends southward into the coastal landscapes of South Australia as well. Finally, the plant can also be identified within the unique environments of Tasmania.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Life history

The life history of Carpobrotus rossii is characterized by its status as a perennial species, allowing it to maintain a long-term presence within its ecological niche. As a succulent, it avoids the complete senescence seen in annuals, instead focusing on continuous vegetative expansion and structural longevity. This perennial nature enables the plant to establish robust root systems and fleshy, water-storing tissues that support survival through varying environmental conditions. Throughout its life cycle, the plant undergoes seasonal cycles of growth and flowering, often spreading laterally through stoloniferous growth to form dense mats, ensuring its persistence and ability to dominate coastal landscapes over many years.

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Carpobrotus rossii is characterized by a growth form that functions as both a herb and a spreading shrub, typically exhibiting a non-woody structure. It is an independent organism that does not function as a parasite, maintaining its own nutritional processes. In terms of habitat and habit, the plant is primarily terrestrial, though it can inhabit environments ranging from aquatic to semiaquatic settings. It is a self-supporting species rather than an obligatory or facultative climber, spreading across the ground to form dense mats.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

shrub

Parasite :

independent

Woodiness :

non-woody

Reproduction

The reproduction of Carpobrotus rossii is characterized by the production of seeds with highly consistent physical properties, exhibiting no variability in size across the observed samples. The seed mass remains constant at a mean value of 0.00021 g, which is reflected in both the maximum and minimum recorded values of 0.00021 g. This uniformity in seed mass suggests a highly standardized reproductive output, where each individual seed maintains a precise weight of 0.00021 g during its development.

Seed mass mean:

0.00021 g

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Chemicals

Carpobrotus rossii has 3 reported phytochemicals identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoid, Polyphenol, Tannin.

Flavonoid

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Polyphenol

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Tannin

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Activities

Carpobrotus rossii has 2 reported activities identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antiplatelet.

Antioxidant

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Antiplatelet

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Conditions

Carpobrotus rossii has 3 reported investigations on conditions identified across 0 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported conditions include atherosclerosis, inflammation, platelet aggregation.

Atherosclerosis

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Inflammation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology

Platelet aggregation

1. Journal of ethnopharmacology