Crassula subaphylla

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Crassula subaphylla
Crassula subaphylla var. subaphylla Anysberg.jpg
Crassula subaphylla var. subaphylla in Anysberg Nature Reserve, South Africa.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Saxifragales
Family: Crassulaceae
Genus: Crassula
Species:
C. subaphylla
Binomial name
Crassula subaphylla
(Eckl. & Zeyh.) Harv., 1862
Synonyms
  • Sphaeritis subaphylla Eckl. & Zeyh., 1837
  • Globulea subaphylla (Eckl. & Zeyh.) P. V. Heath, 1995

Crassula subaphylla is a succulent plant belonging to the family Crassulaceae. [1] It is widespread in the Karoo regions of South Africa and Namibia.

Contents

Description

Young flowering plant in Anysberg Nature Reserve Crassula subaphylla var. subaphylla.jpg
Young flowering plant in Anysberg Nature Reserve

A small, sparse, shrubby species.

The twiggy, decumbent stems of Crassula subaphylla, growing in the Robertson Karoo. 2 Crassula subaphylla - Robertson 2.jpg
The twiggy, decumbent stems of Crassula subaphylla, growing in the Robertson Karoo.
The brittle stems often have flaking strips of bark Crassula subaphylla - Robertson 6.jpg
The brittle stems often have flaking strips of bark

Crassula subaphylla is a small, dense to sparse, straggly shrublet, consisting of numerous brownish stems and branches, 15 – 30 cm tall (up to 60 when scrambling in vegetation). Branches are wiry, woody, but thin and brittle, twiggy (usually decumbent), with flaking strips of bark. Younger branches are slightly velvety (puberulous), reddish-brown, carnose. The leaves are widely dispersed along the branches with internodes of 0.5 — 1 (-3) cm, variable in shape, hairiness and colour (greyish- or reddish-green to yellow-green), distinctively pointed/conical (lanceolate-linear), and easily break off, 5 – 23 mm long and 4 – 8 mm in diameter. It flowers in spring to mid-summer with thyrses up to 8 cm tall with numerous dichasia. The flowers are cream with brown anthers, tubular, panduriform, to 5 mm, have distinctively recurved membranous wings on both sides of the petal tips. [2] [3]

Distribution and ecology

Succulent and Nama Karoo of South Namibia and RCA. [1]

Regional variation

The typical form, with small lanceolate leaves, occurs in the Little Karoo, the Great Karoo as far as Namibia, and in surrounding karooid and mountainous areas, as well as the Overberg in the southern Cape. The rare variety virgata is only found in the far western Namaqualand, and has smooth leaves on erect branches. The form that occurs around Worcester, in the south-west, also decumbent, sometimes has thin, glabrous leaves and only the young stems are slightly hairy.

Subspecies

The closest relatives of this species are Crassula mollis , Crassula atropurpurea , Crassula cultrata and Crassula pubescens . All of these species are caulescent perennials in the Crassula section Globulea, with woody branches, visible internodes, and leaves that do not persist long on the stems.

It can sometimes also be confused with the sympatric (but relatively unrelated) species Crassula tetragona or Crassula brevifolia . [4]

Related Research Articles

<i>Cotyledon</i> (genus) Genus of succulents

Cotyledon is one of some 35 genera of succulent plants in the family Crassulaceae. Mostly from Southern Africa, they also occur throughout the drier parts of Africa as far north as the Arabian Peninsula. Ten of its species are mostly confined to South Africa, where unlike Tylecodon, they occur commonly in both the winter and summer rainfall regions. They may be found on coastal flats and rocky hillsides, or as cremnophytes on cliff faces. Their decussate, evergreen leaves are very variable in shape, even within some species, but the flowers are, apart from colour, very similar.

<i>Crassula tetragona</i> Species of succulent

Crassula tetragona is a succulent plant native to Southern Africa. It is widely distributed from the Orange River boundary of Namaqualand to beyond the Kei River in the Eastern Cape. "Tetragona" comes from the phyllotaxy of the leaves. It is popularly named the "miniature pine tree" among ornamental plant enthusiasts, for its popular use as a "pine tree" in Bonsai.

<i>Anacampseros</i> Genus of plants

AnacampserosL. is a genus comprising about a hundred species of small perennial succulent plants native to Southern Africa, Ethiopia and Latin America. The botanical name Anacampseros is an ancient one for herbs supposed to restore lost love.

<i>Crassula muscosa</i> Species of succulent

Crassula muscosa, synonyms Crassula lycopodioides and Crassula pseudolycopodioides, is a succulent plant native to South Africa and Namibia, belonging to the family of Crassulaceae and to the genus Crassula. It is a houseplant grown worldwide and commonly known as rattail crassula, watch chain, lizard's tail, zipper plant and princess pines.

<i>Crassula capitella</i> Species of succulent

Crassula capitella, is a perennial succulent plant native to southern Africa.

<i>Crassula ovata</i> Species of succulent

Crassula ovata, commonly known as jade plant, lucky plant, money plant or money tree, is a succulent plant with small pink or white flowers that is native to the KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa, and Mozambique; it is common as a houseplant worldwide. Much of its popularity stems from the low levels of care needed; the jade plant requires little water and can survive in most indoor conditions. It is sometimes referred to as the money tree; however, Pachira aquatica also has this nickname.

<i>Crassula nudicaulis</i> Species of succulent

Crassula nudicaulis is a succulent plant native to South Africa, and Lesotho.

<i>Crassula cotyledonis</i> Species of succulent

Crassula cotyledonis is a succulent plant endemic to the arid Namaqualand and Karoo regions of South Africa.

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

Crassula decumbens, commonly known as rufous stonecrop, cape crassula or spreading crassula, is a herb in the family Crassulaceae that is native to southern parts of Australia, South Africa, and Chile. There are generally two accepted varieties: Crassula decumbens var. decumbens and C. decumbens var. brachyphylla.

Crassula natans, commonly known as floating pigmyweed, is a herb in the family Crassulaceae.

<i>Anacampseros retusa</i> Species of plant

Anacampseros retusa is a species of succulent plant native to the Northern Cape and Western Cape Provinces of South Africa, as well as to Namibia.

<i>Crassula brevifolia</i> Species of succulent plant

Crassula brevifolia is a succulent plant native to the arid western edge of South Africa as well as southern Namibia.

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

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

<i>Crassula atropurpurea</i> Species of succulent

Crassula atropurpurea is a succulent plant, very common and widespread in the southern Karoo regions of South Africa and Namibia.

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

Crassula pubescens is a succulent plant, common and widespread in the southern Karoo regions of South Africa.

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

Crassula biplanata is a succulent plant native to rocky ledges and mountainous areas in the southern parts of South Africa.

<i>Tylecodon wallichii</i> Species of succulent

Tylecodon wallichii is a species of succulent plant in the genus Tylecodon belonging to the family Crassulaceae. The species is named in honour of Nathaniel Wallich, early 19th century Danish plant hunter, botanist and physician.

<i>Tylecodon reticulatus</i> Species of succulent

Tylecodon reticulatus is a species of succulent plant in the genus Tylecodon belonging to the family Crassulaceae.

<i>Tylecodon paniculatus</i> Species of succulent

Tylecodon paniculatus, also known as butter bush, butter tree, butterboom or rooisuikerblom (Afrikaans), is a species of succulent plant in the genus Tylecodon belonging to the family Crassulaceae.

<i>Adromischus filicaulis</i>

Adromischus filicaulis is a perennial, succulent plant in the family Crassulaceae. It is commonly called brosplakkies in Afrikaans. The species is endemic to South Africa and Namibia.

References

  1. 1 2 "Crassula subaphylla Harv". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens Kew . Retrieved 22 January 2022.
  2. Eggli, Urs (2003). Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Crassulaceae. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer Berlin Heidelberg. p. 78. ISBN   978-3-642-55874-0.
  3. Smith, Gideon (2017). Field guide to succulents in Southern Africa. Cape Town: Penguin Random House South Africa. p. 301. ISBN   9781775843672.
  4. Doreen Court (2000). Succulent Flora of Southern Africa. CRC Press. p. 112. ISBN   978-90-5809-323-3.