Muiria | |
---|---|
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Caryophyllales |
Family: | Aizoaceae |
Subfamily: | Ruschioideae |
Tribe: | Ruschieae |
Genus: | Muiria N.E.Br. |
Species: | M. hortenseae |
Binomial name | |
Muiria hortenseae N.E.Br. | |
Muiria hortenseae ("mouse-head") is a rare dwarf species of succulent plant of the iceplant family (Aizoaceae), indigenous to a very small area in the Little Karoo, Western Cape, South Africa. It is the only species in the monophyletic genus Muiria.
Unlike most other plants in its family, Muiria is covered in soft downy fur (from which it gets its common name) and has leaves that are entirely fused together, into one smooth rounded body.
In the summer it produces white or pink flowers, that tear through the (still living) flesh of the plant. The flesh then withers into a papery sheath, within which the new body forms. After several generations of subdivisions, it can form clumps. [1]
Like many related plants, Muirias grow in annual cycles of growth and dormancy.
Their habitat is a winter rainfall region. They therefore begin their growth cycle in early autumn when the first rains arrive, pushing out of the dry sheaths which remain from the previous years dead leaves, and forming the new green growth. Throughout the winter, they receive mists and occasional rainfall. By the end of winter, the new growth stops and appears to decay, becoming more yellow and soft in the spring. The flower buds can then push through the softened flesh.
With the onset of the full summer drought, flowering ends, the old flesh gradually dries into a papery sheath and the plants enter a brief dormancy (which can last any period between a few weeks and four months). The first new rains bring it out of dormancy and commence the cycle again. The water storage cells in the leaves of this plant are among the largest plaant celln known; up to 1/ 50th inch in diqameter, and extremely resistan to drying.
Muiria is indigenous to a tiny arid area (c.300 mm annual rainfall) of the "Succulent Karoo" in the Western Cape, South Africa. Its habitat is the quartzite rubble that overlay clay soils on the low ridges near the Langeberg Mountains.
In this extremely small range, it has recently suffered an enormous reduction in population and range, due to habitat loss, trampling by stock animals and illegal collecting. [2]
Muiria hortenseae is difficult to cultivate, as it requires sparing but steady watering throughout most of the year, (a sharply contrasting opinion is that of Alfred Byrd Graf who recommends that Muiria hortense be watered only once a year) [3] generous space for its large root system, and a rocky, gritty, extremely well-drained soil. Some cultivators also occasionally add a one or two grains of salt to the soil surface, to add an extremely slight salinity to the soil. It is also recommended to give it little to no water for a drought of a month or two, after it has flowered.
Propagation is usually by seed, and Muiria sometimes hybridises with Gibbaeum album , with which it shares its natural habitat in the Little Karoo. [4]
Lithops is a genus of succulent plants in the ice plant family, Aizoaceae. Members of the genus are native to southern Africa. They avoid being eaten by herbivores with their camouflage as small stones, and are often known as pebble plants or living stones.
Aristaloe is a genus of evergreen flowering perennial plants in the family Asphodelaceae from Southern Africa. Its sole species is Aristaloe aristata, known as guinea-fowl aloe or lace aloe.
Dioscorea elephantipes, the elephant's foot or Hottentot bread, is a species of flowering plant in the genus Dioscorea of the family Dioscoreaceae, native to the dry interior of South Africa.
Citrullus ecirrhosus, commonly known as Namib tsamma, is a species of perennial desert vine in the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae, and a relative of the widely consumed watermelon. It can be found in both Namibia and the Cape Provinces of South Africa, in particular the Namib Desert. It is the sister species to the bitter melon, Citrullus amarus with which it shares hard, white and bitter flesh.
A xerophyte is a species of plant that has adaptations to survive in an environment with little liquid water. Examples of xerophytes include cacti, pineapple and some gymnosperm plants. The morphology and physiology of xerophytes are adapted to conserve water during dry periods. Some species called resurrection plants can survive long periods of extreme dryness or desiccation of their tissues, during which their metabolic activity may effectively shut down. Plants with such morphological and physiological adaptations are said to be xeromorphic. Xerophytes such as cacti are capable of withstanding extended periods of dry conditions as they have deep-spreading roots and capacity to store water. Their waxy, thorny leaves prevent loss of moisture.
Cotyledon tomentosa is a species of flowering plant in the family Crassulaceae, native to South Africa.
Gibbaeum is a genus of about 21 species of small succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the Little Karoo region of South Africa. The name "Gibbaeum" comes from the Latin gibbosus (hunchback)
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.
Cleretum bellidiforme, commonly called Livingstone daisy, Bokbaaivygie (Afrikaans), or Buck Bay vygie, is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to the Cape Peninsula in South Africa. It is a low-growing succulent annual growing to 25 cm (10 in), and cultivated for its iridescent, many-petalled, daisy-like blooms in shades of white, yellow, orange, cream, pink and crimson. In temperate areas it is popularly grown as a half-hardy annual, and lends itself to mass plantings or as edging plants in summer bedding schemes in parks and gardens. It is still widely referenced under its former names, Mesembryanthemum criniflorum and Dorotheanthus bellidiformis.
Mitrophyllum is a genus of succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the arid region around the Richtersveld, on the border of South Africa and Namibia.
Gasteria pillansii, the Namaqua gasteria, is succulent plant native to the arid winter-rainfall regions in the far west of South Africa and Namibia.
Conophytum calculus is a small South African species of succulent plant in the family Aizoaceae.
Conophytum burgeri is a small, endangered, South African species of succulent plant, of the genus Conophytum.
Conophytum ficiforme is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.
Conophytum truncatum is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.
Conophytum piluliforme is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.
Conophytum minimum is a small South African species of succulent plant of the genus Conophytum.
Eragrostis echinochloidea, is a species of grass native to South Africa. Listed as "safe" (LC) on the SANBI Red List, the plant can also be found in Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia.
Euphorbia tuberosa, commonly known as '"milkball/melkbol"' or '"wilderamenas"', is a variable geophytic plant of the family Euphorbiaceae, indigenous to the western parts of South Africa.
Mesembryanthemum digitatum, or finger-and-thumb plant, is a stemless plant found in South Africa with a clump of 2–4 thick, waxy leaves per shoot that emerge from the ground which resemble human-like fingers.