Lapidaria margaretae

Lapidaria margaretae
Lapidaria margaretae
Systematics
Nuclear eudicotyledons Order : Clove-like (Caryophyllales) Family : Midday flowers (Aizoaceae) Subfamily : Ruschioideae Genre : Lapidaria Type : Lapidaria margaretae
Scientific name of the  genus
Lapidaria
( Dinter & Schwantes ) Schwantes ex NEBr.
Scientific name of the  species
Lapidaria margaretae
( Dinter & Schwantes ) Schwantes ex NEBr.

Lapidaria margaretae is the only plant of monotypic genus Lapidaria from the family of aizoaceae (Aizoaceae). The botanical name of the genus is derived from the Latin word "lapis" for "stone" and indicates the stone-like appearance of the plant. The epithet of the species honors theGerman teacher Margarethe Friedrich, who lives in the Namibian town of Warmbad , and who discovered the plant.

description

Lapidaria margaretae grows compactly with one (rarely up to three or more) branches, on which two to three pairs of leaves are formed every year (in culture there can be more). The pale pink or whitish leaves are rounded, triangular, keeled and have clear, hard edges. Its surface has a tiny, rough structure.

The individual flowers appear on a laterally compressed flower stalk . There are no bracts . There are eight (rarely only six or seven) sepals and about 100 golden yellow petals . The approximately 300 to 500  stamens are more or less upright. The nectaries are fused in a ring shape and not clearly visible.

Lapidaria margaretae blooms in their homeland from March to September. The flowers open during the day.

fruit

The seven- (rarely six- to nine-) fan-shaped capsule fruits resemble those of the genus Titanopsis . The small, light brown seeds are pear-shaped, about 0.6 millimeters long and about 0.5 millimeters wide.

Systematics, number of chromosomes and distribution

The distribution area of Lapidaria margaretae extends from the Namibian city ​​of Warmbad to the neighboring South African province of North Cape . It grows on plains containing quartz between loose stones. The annual rainfall is around 250 millimeters, with the majority falling in March.

The chromosome number is . ${\displaystyle 2n=18}$

The first description of the species as Mesembryanthemum margaretae was published in 1920 by Gustav Schwantes . Together with Kurt Dinter , he presented the subgenus Dinteranthus subg in 1927 . Lapidaria , which Nicholas Edward Brown raised to the rank of genus a year later.

Synonyms are Dinteranthus margaretae and Argyroderma margaretae .

proof

literature

• PS Green, Klaus Kubitzki, E. Götz, KU Kramer: The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants . Volume 1, p. 58, Springer, 1990, ISBN 3540555099
• Heidrun EK Hartmann : Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae FZ , Springer Verlag, Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2001, p. 109, ISBN 3-540-41723-0
• Gideon Smith et al. a .: Mesembs of the World: Illustrated Guide to a Remarkable Succulent Group . Briza Publications 1998, pp. 110-111. ISBN 1-875093-13-3

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Monthly for cactus science . Volume 29, p. 55, 1919
2. ↑ Gardeners' Chronicle . Series 3, Volume 84, p. 472, 1928

Web links

Commons : Lapidaria margaretae  - album with pictures, videos and audio files