Scientific Name

Carpobrotus aequilaterus (Haw.) N.E. Br.

Synonyms

Carpobrotus aequilateralis (Willd.) J.M. Black
Carpobrotus disparilis N.E. Br.
Mesembryanthemum aequilaterale Willd.
Mesembryanthemum aequilaterale Willd. var. decagynum Haw. ex DC.
Mesembryanthemum aequilaterum Haw.
Mesembryanthemum edule var. aequilaterum (Haw.) Moss
Mesembryanthemum equilaterum Haw., orth. var.

Common Names

angled pig face, angled pigface, angular pigface, Chilean pigface, ice plant, pigface, sea fig

Family

Aizoaceae

Origin

This species is thought to have originated in southern Africa (or possibly South America).

Naturalised Distribution

This widely naturalised species is mainly found in the coastal districts of southern Australia. It is sparingly naturalised in south-eastern Queensland, naturalised in the coastal and sub-coastal districts of eastern New South Wales, widely naturalised in southern Western Australia (i.e. from Shark Bay to Esperance), naturalised mainly in the coastal districts of Victoria and naturalised in Tasmania.

Also naturalised in New Zealand.

Notes

Angled pigface (Carpobrotus aequilaterus) is a creeping (i.e. prostrate), fleshy (i.e. succulent), garden escape that mainly invades coastal habitats (e.g. sand dunes and coastal shrublands) and occasionally also sandy sites in inland areas. It is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.

It is similar to several other native pigfaces (Carpobrotus spp., Sarcozona praecox and Disphyma crassifolium), and may also hybridise with some of them (e.g. Carpobrotus rossii).

infestation (Photo: Trevor James)	creeping habit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)	fleshy three-sided leaves (Photo: Trevor James)	close-up of stems and paired leaves (Photo: Trevor James)
flower (Photo: Sheldon Navie)	immature fruit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)	close-up of immature fruit from side-on (Photo: Trevor James)	reddish-coloured mature fruit (Photo: Sheldon Navie)
Carpobrotus glaucescens, a similar native pigface with bluish-green leaves (Photo: Sheldon Navie)	Carpobrotus rossii, a similar native pigface with smaller flowers (Photo: Sheldon Navie)	Sarcozona praecox, a similar species with smaller flowers partially enclosed in two leaves (Photo: Sheldon Navie)	round-leaved pigface (Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum) a similar native species with almost cylindrical leaves (Photo: Sheldon Navie)