Conophytum piluliforme

Last updated

Conophytum piluliforme
Conophytum piluliforme during wet winter 2 - Copy.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Aizoaceae
Genus: Conophytum
Species:
C. piluliforme
Binomial name
Conophytum piluliforme

Conophytum piluliforme is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.

Contents

Description

Conophytum piluliforme in habitat Conophytum piluliforme 1.jpg
Conophytum piluliforme in habitat
Conophytum piluliforme in cultivation Conophytum piriforme - Tower Hill Botanic Garden.JPG
Conophytum piluliforme in cultivation

Small, mat-forming succulent. The obconical, flattened, "pill-shaped" ("piluliforme") head is small (less than 5mm across the fissure) and has sparse or no lines on it. Flowers are red, purple or maroon.

Conophytum piluliforme subspecies edwardii differs in having a more keeled body shape.

Distribution and habitat

This species is indigenous to the far western corner of the Little Karoo region, in the Western Cape of South Africa. It occurs around Montagu, Barrydale, and as far as Ladismith in the east.

They grow primarily in the winter, when rainfall swell them. After flowering, they go into dormancy through the summer, when they are covered in a dry papery sheath. They inhabit extremely well-drained soil, in spots protected by rocks or bushes. They split and crack if they receive too much water. [2]

Relatives and distinguishing features

It is closely related to its neighbouring species Conophytum joubertii which is a similar small size (less than 5 mm x 5 mm), but has a more convex or cylindrical shape to its bodies, and has cream or white flowers.

The widespread Conophytum truncatum grows throughout the Little Karoo and co-occurs with C. piluliforme. Conophytum truncatum has more strongly flattened, truncated bodies, and spots that are scattered randomly (not in lines).

The larger Conophytum ficiforme occurs in the Breede River valley just to the west, but has globose, keeled, "fig-shaped" ("ficiforme") bodies, with spots in angular, horseshoe-shaped lines. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Conophytum</i> Genus of succulent plants from southern Africa

Conophytum is a genus of South African and Namibian succulent plants that belong to the family Aizoaceae. The name is derived from the Latin conus (cone) and Greek phytum (plant). The plants are also known as knopies, waterblasies, sphaeroids, conos, cone plants, dumplings, or button plants.

<i>Astroloba rubriflora</i> Species of flowering plant

Astroloba rubriflora is a succulent plant found in the mountainous Karoo area around Robertson, South Africa. It is listed as a Vulnerable species on the IUCN global Red List.

<i>Conophytum stephanii</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum stephanii is a small South African species of Conophytum succulents named after German plant collector Paul Stephan, who tended the succulent collection at the Hamburg Botanic Garden in Hamburg, Germany. The plant was first described by Dr. Schwantes in 1929 and published in "Die Gartenwelt" 33:25.

<i>Astroloba bullulata</i> Species of flowering plant

Astroloba bullulata is a small succulent plant of the Astroloba genus, endemic to mountainous areas of the southern Cape, South Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robertson Karoo</span> Semi-arid vegetation type of the Succulent Karoo of South Africa

Robertson Karoo is a semi-arid vegetation type, restricted to sections of the Breede River Valley, Western Cape Province, South Africa. It is a subtype of Succulent Karoo and is characterised by the dominance of succulent plant species, and by several endemic plants and animals.

<i>Conophytum calculus</i> Species of flowering plant

Conophytum calculus is a small South African species of succulent plant in the family Aizoaceae.

<i>Conophytum burgeri</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum burgeri is a small, endangered, South African species of succulent plant, of the genus Conophytum.

<i>Conophytum breve</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum breve is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.

<i>Conophytum flavum</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum flavum, the yellow cone plant, is a small South African species of succulent flowering plant of the family Aizoaceae.

<i>Conophytum ficiforme</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum ficiforme is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.

<i>Conophytum truncatum</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum truncatum is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.

<i>Conophytum minimum</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum minimum is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.

Vlokia ater was the first species described for the genus Vlokia in the Aizoaceae plant family. The genus name honors the discoverer, South African botanist, Jan H. J. Vlok (1957-). The species name derives from the Latin adjective "ater" for "black" and refers to the black coloring which older leaf leaves assume.

<i>Conophytum hammeri</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum hammeri is a small, endangered, South African species of succulent plant, of the genus Conophytum.

<i>Felicia josephinae</i> An annual plant in the daisy family from South Africa

Felicia josephinae is a roughly hairy annual herbaceous plant of 15–20 cm (6–8 in) high, that is assigned to the family Asteraceae. It branches near its base, and has few leaves along its stems. The lower leaves are set oppositely, inverted lance-shaped, relatively large at 3–7 cm long and ⅔–1¼ cm wide, and soon withering, while the higher ones are smaller and relatively narrower. In the axils of the leaves grow flower heads of 7–8 mm wide on stalks of up to 5 cm (2.0 in) long, topped with an involucre of about 5 mm (0.20 in) high and 4 mm (0.16 in) wide, consisting of eleven to thirteen bracts in two rows with bristles near the tip, eight to nine white or cream-coloured ligulate florets surrounding fourteen or fifteen deep purple disc florets. Flowers can be found in September and October. The species is an endemic species that can only be found in a small area along the west coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa.

<i>Crassula cultrata</i> Species of plant

Crassula cultrata is a succulent plant native to the southern parts of South Africa.

<i>Conophytum obcordellum</i> Species of succulent

Conophytum obcordellum is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Western Cape of South Africa. It is a small clump-forming succulent, growing to 10 cm tall and 1 m broad, forming glossy grey pebble-shaped growths, heavily marked with dots and lines. Daisy-like, silky white or pink night-scented flowers are borne on mature plants in spring.

<i>Conophytum wettsteinii</i> Species of flowering plant

Conophytum wettsteinii is a species of flowering plant in the genus Conophytum, native to the northwest Cape Provinces of South Africa. It is known to grow in rocky regions, often nearby Crassula elegans. C. wettsteinii is a small groundcover species, which appears stemless with fused leaf-pairs having a obconical shape. This plant relies on winter rains and is mainly dormant in summer months. Best growth occurs when drainage is available, and when only shaded during mid-summer. Propegation can occur through seeds or through cuttings from a full grown plant, where each cutting contains at least 1 head and a fraction of root. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

Conophytum chrisolum is a species of succulent plant in the family Aizoaceae. It is endemic to the Richtersveld region of Northern Cape Province in South Africa. It may be the smallest free-living, land dwelling (non-aquatic) flowering plant, and certainly is the smallest succulent, measuring no more than 0.4 inch (10 mm) in height by less than 0.25 inch (6 mm) in width. It never branches or divides. It was only discovered in 1994 by botanical explorer Chris Rodgerson. The solitary magenta colored flower, up to 0.8 inch (20 mm) in diameter, is wider than the plant.

Acrodon deminutus, also known as the Malgas tiptoothfig, is a species of mesemb from South Africa.

References

  1. Young, A.J. (2022). "Conophytum piluliforme". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2022: e.T202850519A202872502. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T202850519A202872502.en . Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  2. Conophytum piluliforme - distribution map
  3. "Conophytum piluliforme".

Further reading