Meyerophytum

Meyerophytum
	Meyerophytum meyeri
Systematics
	Eudicotyledons
	Nuclear eudicotyledons
Order :	Clove-like (Caryophyllales)
Family :	Midday flowers (Aizoaceae)
Subfamily :	Ruschioideae
Genre :	Meyerophytum
Scientific name
	Meyerophytum
	Schwantes

Meyerophytum is a genus of plants fromthe afternoon flower family (Aizoaceae). The botanical name of the genus honors the German missionary Louis G. Meyer (1867-1958), whoexploredthe flora of the Namaqualand .

description

The species of the genus Meyerophytum grow pillow-shaped or as compact deciduous shrubs with a stature height of up to 15 centimeters and a diameter of up to 30 centimeters. The internodes are either elongated or very short. The shoots of young plants are upright, those of old plants prostrate. The shoots are variegated. The first pair of leaves of the year is egg-shaped, slightly keeled on the underside, fused to one another for about two-thirds of its length and forms a two-lobed body. The second pair of leaves is elongated, truncated and about half of them have grown together. The epidermis contains elliptical bladder cells .

The individual, stalked flowers appear from the gap at the tip of the second pair of leaves. There are 5 sepals available. The petals are continuously pink-purple in color, pink and white at the base or continuously white. Thread-like staminodes are missing or only a few are present.

The capsule fruits are 5 (rarely 4 to 7) -fatched. The wing covers are wide, the closure bodies may be missing. They contain whitish to light brown, smooth seeds .

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

Systematics and distribution

The distribution area of the genus Meyerophytum is the northwest and west of the Namaqualand in the South African province of Northern Cape . The plants grow on loamy soils that are sometimes covered with quartz gravel. The annual rainfall is less than 100 millimeters, with the majority falling in winter.

The first description was published in 1927 by Gustav Schwantes . The holotype is Meyerophytum meyeri . According to Hans-Dieter Ihlenfeldt (* 1932) the genus Meyerophytum includes the following species:

Meyerophytum globosum (L. Bolus) Ihlenf.
Meyerophytum meyeri (Schwantes) Schwantes

proof

literature

Heidrun EK Hartmann (Ed.): Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae FZ . Springer Verlag, Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2001, ISBN 3-540-41723-0 , pp. 170 .
Gideon Smith et al. a. (Ed.): Mesembs of the World: Illustrated Guide to a Remarkable Succulent Group . Briza Publications, 1998, ISBN 1-875093-13-3 , pp. 238-239 .

Individual evidence

↑ Gustav Schwantes: Meyerophytum Schwantes gen. Nov. In: Möllers German gardener magazine . Volume 42, p. 436, 1927
↑ Heidrun EK Hartmann (Ed.): Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae FZ . Springer Verlag, Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2001, ISBN 3-540-41723-0 , pp. 170 .

Web links

Commons : Meyerophytum - collection of images, videos and audio files

[1] Gustav Schwantes: Meyerophytum Schwantes gen. Nov. In: Möllers German gardener magazine . Volume 42, p. 436, 1927

[2] Heidrun EK Hartmann (Ed.): Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae FZ . Springer Verlag, Berlin / Heidelberg / New York 2001, ISBN 3-540-41723-0 , pp. 170 .