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    1. Catchment Management
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    5. Catchment Hydrology
    6. Salinity Indicator Plants
      1. Common Name
      2. Scientific Name
      3. Common Family Name
      4. Scientific Family Name
      5. Key to Families or Genera
      6. Salinity in the Loddon Murray Region
      7. Salinity in the Central and Northern Victorian Region
      8. Salinity in the Western Region
      9. Salinity in the Wimmera Region
      10. Salinity in the Mallee Region
      11. Salinity in the Gippsland Region
      12. Salinity in the Coastal Region
    7. Salinity Management
    8. Declared Water Supply Catchments

Common Ice Plant

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Common Ice Plant photos

Scientific Name:Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Common Ice Plant - flowerbud
Common Ice Plant - flowerbud
Photo: A J Brown

Status:
Native to South Africa.

Plant Description:
Low-growing succulent. Angular heart-shaped leaves covered with sparkling wart-like glands. Parts of the plant are often red in colour. The flowers are white with several rows of very thin petals. Flowers in spring and early summer.

Annual or biennial. Leaves at the base are 6-12 cm long with a stem-clasping base. The other leaves on the stems are 2-4 cm. On the flower stems, the leaves are arranged alternately but at the base and on non-flowering stems they are opposite. Leaves are generally at least 5 mm wide and somewhat flattened. The fruit capsule has five sections and is up to 12 mm wide.

Habitat:
Usually prefers well drained sands, sandy loams and clay loams. Occurs along roadsides, plains and hillsides in north-west Victoria but occasionally scattered on other inland saline lakes and along the coast. Also in WA, SA, NSW and Tas.

RegionSalinity ClassWaterlogging Class
Mallee, Loddon Murray, Central and Northern, WimmeraS2, S3, S4W1, W2

Comments:
Grows best in years with high winter and spring rainfall. Rarely grazed by livestock. Similar to Small Ice Plant (Mesembryanthemum nodiflorum) but has flat leaves. Often grows in association with Rounded Noon-flower (Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum) (see Key to Pigfaces and similar plants).

Common Ice Plant
Common Ice Plant - flower
Common Ice Plant - flower
Photo: A J Brown
Common Ice Plant - flowering
Common Ice Plant - flowering
Photo: A J Brown

[Common Ice Plant - glands
Common Ice Plant - glands
Photo: A J Brown

Common Ice Plant - red leaves
Common Ice Plant - red leaves
Photo: A J Brown

Common Ice Plant - mature leaf
Common Ice Plant - mature leaf
Photo: A J Brown

Common Ice Plant - leaves
Common Ice Plant - leaves
Photo: A J Brown


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