Crassula

ANSO-LEROUXIAE   Van Jaarsveld, 2018

Section Globulea

Distribution : South Africa (Succulent Karoo region betrween Worcester and Robertson).

Description by Van Jaarsveld :

Perennial much branched evergreen succulents forming dense clusters up to 20 cm in diameter and when in flower up to 35 cm tall, the old leaves persistent.

Roots fibrous.

Branches decumbent to ascending, 6 - 7 mm in diameter, succulent almost square, internodes 12 - 15 mm apart, surface densely covered in white recurved cilia about 0.5 mm, adpressed to the surface and pointing towards the base.

Leaves decussate, firm, slightly twisted sideways, with indistinct petiole, distinctly succulent, linear- oblanceolate, 33 - 50 x 10 - 15 mm, upper surface light to pale green, flat to becoming slightly channelled during the dry season, the lower surface slightly convex, the surface on both sides rough due to white firm cilia 0.3 mm adpressed to the surface and pointing to the leaf base. Hydatodes indistinct and difficult to spot. Leaf margin obtuse to subacute, apex obtuse.

Inflorescence a terminal, elongate spike-like thyrse, with 5-merous flowers, 10 - 27 cm high, with several, up to 11 dichasia forming a hemisphaerical thyrse, with ciliated peduncle 11 cm long and terete and 5 mm in diameter, and with a single pair of bracts adpressed to the stem 6 x 3 mm, base of bracts fused for 2 mm, the apices obtuse, floral bracts similar but smaller upwards.

Flowers : Sepals oblong triangular, 2 x 1.5 mm, beset with ascending cilia, apex obtuse to subacute, corolla tubular, about 3 mm long and 2 mm in diameter, fused basally, petals panduriform, white, 3 mm long, ascending, each with a terminal spherical dorsal appendage fused into a ahort tube with membranous apices, filaments 1 mm long, anthers yellowish green.

Flowering time : Descember to January.

First published in Bradleya 36 / 2018.

 


 

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