Microloma calycinum
| Microloma calycinum | ||||||||||||
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Microloma calycinum , Richtersveld National Park , Namakwa District , Northern Cape , South Africa |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Microloma calycinum | ||||||||||||
| E. Mey. |
Microloma calycinum is a species of the genus Microloma from the subfamily of the silk plants (Asclepiadoideae).
features
Vegetative characteristics
Microloma calycinum is a perennial climbing plant, provided there is an appropriate base, or a shrub-like, herbaceous plant whose shoots can lignify at the base. They can climb up to about 1 m high. As a rule, they form small, low bushes, often rounded when bitten, and only a few centimeters in diameter. The bald to slightly hairy shoots are gray-green and develop a gray-brown, corky bark at the base. Young shoots are often covered with a waxy touch. The declining, fleshy to almost leathery leaves are bent back, gray-green and bald (or only very slightly hairy). The leaf blade is 6 to 18 mm long and 2 to 4 mm wide. The stem is 1.2 to 2 mm long. The shape is linear with a pointed or blunt apex. the base gradually merges into the petiole or is broadly rounded.
Inflorescence and flowers
The stalked inflorescences are 3- to 10-flowered. The sparsely branched, bald pedicel varies in length from 1 to 7 mm and has numerous, downy, hairy bracts . These are lanceolate, 1 to 2.5 mm long and apically pointed. The upright flower stalks measure 3 to 9 mm, are slightly hairy and have a hint of red. The bald or slightly hairy sepals are 4 to 16 mm long, 1.5 mm wide and linear-needle-shaped. The greatest width is usually measured in the middle of the leaf; from there it gradually decreases towards the base of the leaf. The apex is pointed or rounded. They are spread out or directed slightly from above. The base is green, the remaining part bright red to pale pink or cream-colored. The corolla is 5 to 8 mm long, about 2.5 mm in diameter, occasionally slightly constricted after about a quarter and often becoming much wider towards the mouth. In cross section it is rounded on five sides, the "corners" are formed by the strongly convex outwardly curved petals . The outside of the corolla is bristled. It is bright pink-red in color and turns green towards the base. The petals are fused over the greater part of the length, the tips only about 2 to 3 mm long. They are usually spirally twisted and gray-green in color with red edges. In the narrowest part of the corolla approximately at the level of the base (or lower end) of the "guide rails", hairs sit downwards. The stalked gynostegium is about 6 mm high, the stem is about 1 mm thick at the base. The apex is pointed. A staminal secondary crown is not formed.
Fruits and seeds
The follicle fruit is solitary, 30 to 60 mm long and bare on the outside. It contains 15 to 25 seeds.
Chromosome number
The number of chromosomes is 2n = 20.
Geographical occurrence and ecology
Microloma calycinum occurs in the southern part of Namibia and in the Republic of South Africa (provinces of the Northern Cape and Western Cape ) in the area of winter rain. The species rises there up to about 1600 m above sea level.
It grows there on dry, stony or sandy slopes with winter rains. The flowering period extends from June to October.
supporting documents
Individual evidence
- ↑ Microloma calycinum at Tropicos.org. In: IPCN Chromosome Reports . Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis
- ↑ John Manning: Field guide to wild flowers of South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland. 487 pp., Struik Nature, Cape Town 2009, ISBN 1-77007-758-8 and ISBN 978-1-77007-758-4
literature
- Peter Vincent Bruyns, Hans Peter Lindner: A revision of Microloma R. Br. (Asclepiadaceae - Asclepiadeae). Botanical yearbooks for systematics, plant history and plant geography, 112: 453–527, Stuttgart 1991.
