Delosperma

N. E. Brown

Gard. Chron., ser. 3, 78: 412. 1925.

Etymology: Greek delos, visible, and sperma, seed, in reference to the seeds being exposed as the fruits dehisce
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 4. Treatment on page 90. Mentioned on page 76, 77, 9.
 TaxonIllustrator 
FNA4 P17 Malephora crocea.jpegMalephora crocea
Delosperma litorale
Drosanthemum floribundum
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi
Barbara Alongi

Subshrubs [herbs, shrubs], perennial or rarely annual or biennial, usually succulent, sometimes hairy or prickly. Roots fibrous [tuberous]. Stems prostrate-creeping [erect, decumbent]. Leaves cauline, opposite, sessile; stipules absent; blade variable, slightly connate basally or distinct, broadly triangular to cylindric, linear, or rarely flat, finely papillate. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, flowers solitary or in cymes, pedicillate; bracts 2, leaflike. Flowers showy, tubular, 1.5–8 cm diam.; calyx lobes 5, green, linear, unequal; petals (often including petaloid staminodia) 60–100 in few series, distinct, free, white, yellow, or red; nectary glands 5, distinct or rarely connate; stamens ca. 100, inner stamens erect, whitish; pistil (4–) 5 (–6) -carpellate; ovary inferior, (4–) 5 (–6) -loculed, slightly convex; placentation parietal; style absent; stigmas (4–) 5 (–6), subulate, sometimes caudate, apex acute, papillate. Fruits capsules, persistent, keels interior, expanding, usually with papery, marginal wings, membrane covering seed absent, dehiscence loculicidal, not separating into segments, not reclosing. Seeds ca. 100, pale-brown, roundish, sometimes arillate, 5–15 mm, smooth to slightly textured.

Distribution

Introduced; South Africa, also in Asia

Discussion

Species 163 (1 in the flora).

Delosperma capsules are the simplest in the family.

Selected References

None.

... more about "Delosperma"
papillate +
John E. Bleck +
N. E. Brown +
distinct +  and connate +
papillate +
broadly triangular +  and cylindric linear or rarely flat +
appendaged +, hooded +  and petaloid +
South Africa +  and also in Asia +
Greek delos, visible, and sperma, seed, in reference to the seeds being exposed as the fruits dehisce +
1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (8 cm80 mm <br />0.08 m <br />) +
indehiscent +, circumscissile +, dehiscence +, septicidal +  and loculicidal +
terminal +  and axillary +
expanding +
not separating +
not reclosing +
connate +  and distinct +
(4-)5(-6)-loculed +
red;yellow;red;yellow;white +
free +  and distinct +
(4-)5(-6)-carpellate +
Gard. Chron., ser. +
pale-brown +
papillose +
roundish +
0.5 cm5 mm <br />0.005 m <br /> (?) +  and 1.5 cm15 mm <br />0.015 m <br /> (?) +
textured +
connate +  and distinct +
mat-forming +
underground +
caudate +  and subulate +
adnate +  and free +
connate +  and distinct +
Delosperma +
Aizoaceae +
biennial +, annual +  and perennial +