Ceropegia woodii | |
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Curtis's Botanical Magazine | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Clade: | Asterids |
Order: | Gentianales |
Family: | Apocynaceae |
Genus: | Ceropegia |
Species: | C. woodii |
Binomial name | |
Ceropegia woodii | |
Synonyms [1] | |
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Ceropegia woodii is a flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae, native to South Africa, Eswatini and Zimbabwe. It is sometimes treated as a subspecies of the related Ceropegia linearis , as C. linearis subsp. woodii. [1] Common names include chain of hearts, collar of hearts, string of hearts, rosary vine, hearts-on-a-string, and sweetheart vine.
In 1881, the species was discovered hanging from rocks on Groenberg Mountain in Western Cape, SA, at an altitude of 1800 feet, by John Medley Wood, curator of the Durban Botanic Gardens. Thirteen years later, in 1894, he sent a living plant to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. The plant that had been sent to Kew subsequently flowered, providing the material for Plate 7704 of Curtis's Botanical Magazine published in 1900. The prolific botanical artist Matilda Smith prepared the plate, while the Kew taxonomist, N. E. Brown, produced a detailed description, naming the plant after its discoverer. [2] [3] Its trailing habit, neat appearance, and tolerance of neglect, made it an ideal plant for hanging baskets.
It is an evergreen succulent trailing vine that grows to 10 centimetres (3.9 in) in height and spreads to reach up to 2–4 metres (6 ft 7 in – 13 ft 1 in) in length. Its leaves are shaped like hearts, about 1–2 cm wide and long. When exposed to sufficient light they have a deep green colour; under insufficient lighting the leaves are pale green. With age it develops a woody caudex at its base. The roots, and occasionally the stems, will often develop tubers. On the stems these tubers form at nodes and are likely the reason for the common name of rosary vine.
In general, the flower form is similar to those of other Ceropegia species. The corolla grows to 3 cm in length and is a mixed colouring of off-white and pale magenta. The five petals are a deeper purple.
Ceropegia woodii is tender and in temperate regions it is a very popular houseplant, often grown in hanging baskets so the long trailing branches may hang down with their leaves spaced out like a row of large beads. Several cultivars have been selected, some with variegated leaves. It requires excellent drainage, should be watered only when dry, and should never stand in water. Excess water should be removed from plant saucer after watering. It can be grown outdoors only in subtropical and tropical areas having a minimum temperature of 15 °C (59 °F). It typically requires shady conditions consisting of 3–4 hours of indirect sunlight. [4]
This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit [5] (confirmed 2017). [6]
Peperomia is one of the two large genera of the family Piperaceae. It is estimated that there are at least over 1,000 species, occurring in all tropical and subtropical regions of the world. They are concentrated in South and Central America, but may also be found in southern North America, the Caribbean islands, Africa, Oceania, and southern and eastern parts of Asia. The exact number of species is difficult to determine, as some plants have been recorded several times with different names, and new species continue to be discovered. Peperomias have adapted to many different environments and their appearances vary greatly. Some are epiphytes or lithophytes, and many are xerophytes or possess underground tubers (geophytes). Most species are compact perennial shrubs or vines.
A vine is any plant with a growth habit of trailing or scandent stems, lianas, or runners. The word vine can also refer to such stems or runners themselves, for instance, when used in wicker work.
Ceropegia is a genus of plants within the family Apocynaceae, native to Africa, southern Asia, and Australia. It was named by Carl Linnaeus, who first described this genus in his Genera plantarum, which appeared in 1737. Linnaeus referred to the description and picture of a plant in the Horti Malabarici as the plant for which the genus was created. In 1753 he named this species as Ceropegia candelabrum. Linnaeus did not explain the etymology but later explanations stated that the name Ceropegia was from the Greek word keropegion κηροπηγɩον. This means candelabrum in Latin, which has a broader range than the modern word - "a candlestick, a branched candlestick, a chandelier, candelabrum, or also lamp-stand, light-stand, sometimes of exquisite workmanship".
Hoya is a genus of over 500 accepted species of tropical plants in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae. Most are native to several countries of Asia such as the Philippines, India, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Polynesia, New Guinea, and many species are also found in Australia.
Hoya carnosa, the porcelainflower or wax plant, is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family Apocynaceae. It is one of the many species of Hoya that are native to Eastern Asia and Australia. It is a common house plant grown for its attractive waxy foliage, and sweetly scented flowers. It is grown well in pots and hanging baskets.
Dicentra formosa is a flowering plant with fern-like leaves and an inflorescence of drooping pink, purple, yellow or cream flowers native to the Pacific Coast of North America.
Ceropegia stapeliiformis is a flowering plant in the genus Ceropegia (Apocynaceae), native to South Africa and Eswatini. Common names include serpent ceropegia, snake creeper, and slangkambro.
Arum italicum is a species of flowering herbaceous perennial plant in the family Araceae, also known as Italian arum and Italian lords-and-ladies. It is native to the British Isles and much of the Mediterranean region, the Caucasus, Canary Islands, Madeira and northern Africa. It is also naturalized in Belgium, the Netherlands, Austria, Argentina, North Island New Zealand and scattered locations in North America.
Curio rowleyanus, syn. Senecio rowleyanus, is a flowering plant in the daisy family Asteraceae. It is a creeping, perennial, succulent vine native to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. In its natural environment its stems trail on the ground, rooting where they touch and form dense mats. It often avoids direct sunlight by growing in the shade of other plants and rocks. It is commonly known as string-of-pearls or string-of-beads.
Phalaenopsis deliciosa is a species of orchid occurring from the Indian subcontinent to Malesia and China. The species is a miniature epiphytic herb. The leaves are unique due to their undulate margins. This characteristic greatly simplifies the identification of the species, even when specimens are not currently flowering. The small flowers are usually slightly pink, but white and yellow forms exist as well. Old inflorescences, which are usually panicles or more rarely racemes, may continue to grow and form new flowers over several flowering periods.
Cyclamen coum, the eastern sowbread, is a species of flowering plant in the family Primulaceae. It is a tuberous herbaceous perennial, growing to 5–8 cm (2–3 in), with rounded heart-shaped leaves and pink shell-shaped flowers with darker coloration at the base. It is valued in horticulture as groundcover, and for the flowers which bloom in winter and early spring.
Aeschynanthus pulcher, the lipstick plant or red bugle vine, is a species of evergreen perennial plant in the family Gesneriaceae, native to Indochina and western Malesia. An epiphytic climber, it produces clusters of red flowers from summer to winter. The common name "lipstick plant" refers to the bright red tubular flowers, about 6 cm long, that emerge from a maroon calyx, which resemble lipstick emerging from a tube. The plant may grow 60 cm to 2 meters tall, with an average spread of 50 cm. The leaves are elliptic and are arranged in pairs, with smooth edges.
Ceropegia linearis is a species of flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae, native to Southern Africa.
Larryleachia cactiformis is a stapeliad succulent, native to Namaqualand in South Africa, where it grows in rocky areas. Larryleachia cactiformis proves as difficult a member of the family Apocynaceae in cultivation as others in its genus.
Lithops karasmontana, is a species of flowering plant in the ice plant family Aizoaceae, native to Namibia and South Africa.
Crassula rupestris, called buttons on a string, is a species of Crassula native to Namibia and to the Cape Provinces of South Africa. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. It is also called bead vine, necklace vine, and rosary vine.
Hoya bella, the beautiful hoya, waxflower or pretty waxflower, is a species of tropical epiphyte with trailing stems, slightly succulent leaves and pendant umbels of fragrant, white and purple flowers. It is an asclepiad in the periwinkle and milkweed family, Apocynaceae.
Scabiosa columbaria, called the small scabious or dwarf pincushion flower, is a widespread species of flowering plant in the genus Scabiosa, native to Europe, Africa, and western Asia, from Sweden to Angola. In the garden it is a short-lived deciduous perennial. In the wild in Europe it prefers to grow in calcareous grasslands.
Senecio tropaeolifolius, which is known as false nasturtium or nasturtium-leaf spearhead is a succulent plant in the family Asteraceae that is native to South Africa.
Dendrophorbium peregrinum is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to northwestern Argentina and Bolivia. It was first described by August Grisebach in 1879 as Senecio peregrinus.