| Drosanthemum lavisii | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Aizoaceae |
| Genus: | Drosanthemum |
| Species: | D. lavisii |
| Binomial name | |
| Drosanthemum lavisii L.Bolus | |
Drosanthemum lavisii is a succulent plant in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae, indigenous to the Overberg region of the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
This species is a slender, succulent shrub. The leaves are small, slender (10–14 x 1–3mm), and often slightly wider than they are thick (i.e. slightly flattened). Each leaf has a pointed hook at its tip, that curves downwards. Like D. speciosum and D. pulchrum, it has smooth leaf-surfaces. The flowers can be bright yellow, orange, pink or red.
Drosanthemum lavisii can be distinguished by its recurved, hooked (uncinate) leaf-tips. This character, especially prominent in new leaves, and is also seen in D. edwardsiae and D. uniondalense.
It can also be distinguished by the rough base of its calyx, with 9 to 13 bladder cells along each ridge. This character is shared with D. boerhavii however. [1]
Drosanthemum lavisii is part of a group of similar Drosanthemum species, in subgenus "Speciosa". These nine species all have black filamentous staminodes in the centre of their flowers, they are all small, erect shrubs, and they all occur in the southern Cape, South Africa.
Other species of Drosanthemum subgenus Speciosa include: Drosanthemum bellum , Drosanthemum boerhavii , Drosanthemum edwardsiae , Drosanthemum hallii , Drosanthemum micans , Drosanthemum pulchrum , Drosanthemum speciosum , and Drosanthemum uniondalense . [2] [3]
Drosanthemum lavisii is an endangered species, endemic to the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Its distribution range extends from Ashton, Bonnievale and Montagu in the north, southwards as far as Bredasdorp and the northern foothills of the Potberg mountain. Eastwards, it occurs through the Heidelberg and Riversdale regions of the Overberg, as far as Albertinia.
Specifically, its distribution range follows the inland transition-zone, between the Renosterveld and Fynbos vegetation types. [4]
The habitat preference of D.lavisii is for conglomerates and colluvial terraces, with cobbles of quartzite. Sometimes there are also elements of silcrete, ferricrete or shales (it is frequently found in Shale Renostervelds and Ferricrete Fynbos vegetation types).
The surrounding vegetation includes small shrubs, Restionaceae and a high density of grasses among the alluvial gravels. [5]
Drosanthemum ("dewflowers") is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family native to the winter-rainfall regions of southern Africa, including Namibia and the Cape Provinces and Free State of South Africa. Most species bear colorful flowers.
Acrodon is a genus of ice plants from South Africa. It comprises five species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa.
Trichodiadema marlothii is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is known from the Robertson and Swellendam areas.
Trichodiadema mirabile is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is known from the Laingsburg area and especially from south-facing slopes.
Trichodiadema burgeri is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is known from the Ladismith and Oudtshoorn regions, extending southwards towards Mossel Bay.
Trichodiadema densum is a succulent flowering plant in the fig-marigold family Aizoaceae, native to the Willowmore region of the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Trichodiadema attonsum is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is common among pale quartzite rocks in the western Little Karoo region. Unlike most other species in its genus, it does not have a typical diadem on its leaf-tips.
Trichodiadema gracile is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is common on dry, rocky hillsides in the Overberg region.
Trichodiadema calvatum is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is found in shales, in open rocky areas within Renosterveld vegetation.
Trichodiadema occidentale is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it grows in rocky shale or limestone hills in the Overberg region, and especially in disturbed areas.
Trichodiadema pygmaeum is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is found in fine-grained soils in the regions of Bredasdorp and Swellendam.
Trichodiadema strumosum is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where it is found in loam-based soils in the Fynbos vegetation of the Swellendam region.
Drosanthemum micans, is a succulent plant in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae, indigenous to the Robertson Karoo and Overberg regions of the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Ruschia leptocalyx is a species of succulent plant in the family Aizoaceae. It is endemic to South Africa, where its natural habitat is in rocky renosterveld vegetation in the southern Cape.
Drosanthemum quadratum is a succulent plant in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae, indigenous to the Overberg region of the Western Cape Province, South Africa.
Trichodiadema pomeridianum is a succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, widespread in the arid central Karoo regions of South Africa.
Acrodon bellidiflorus, the common tiptoothfig, is a mesemb species from South Africa.
Acrodon caespitosus, the Potberg tiptoothfig, is a species of mesemb from South Africa.
Acrodon subulatus, the Overberg tiptoothfig, is a species of mesemb from South Africa.
Media related to Drosanthemum lavisii at Wikimedia Commons