PENTANDRUM  Moran, 1971.

Distribution : Mexico (Michoacán); shady rock cliffs, 1200 m

Description (according to IHSP, 2003):

Shrublets; stems first erect, later ± decumbent, stiff, strongly woody, branched predominantly from the base, to 15 x 0,3 – 0,6 cm, dull green, strongly glaucous.

Rosettes lax, 6 – 8 cm in diameter, with 12 – 35 leaves scattered over 1 – 9 cm.

Leaves spreading to somewhat recurved, mostly obovate, cuneate, obtuse to rounded with an inconspicuous mucro, 2 – 4 (-5,5) x 1,5 – 2,3 cm, 5 – 8 mm thick, first bluish-glaucous-pruinose, later yellowish-grey, mostly ± with a lavender hue.

Inflorescences spreading for 2 – 8 cm below the branch tips, 20 – 35 cm, slender, thyrses 12 – 20 cm with 3 – 4 spreading simple or 2x furcate slender scorpioid 10 – 15 cm long branches with 7 – 10 flowers each, pedicels 17 – 23 m.

Flowers 5- merous, calyx cup-shaped, 4 – 4,5 x 4,5 – 5 mm, glaucous-pruinose, sepals appressed, narrowly ovate, ± acute, almost equal, 3,5 – 4 x 1,5 mm, corolla 17 – 18 mm in diameter, petals 5 – 7 x 1,75 – 2,75 mm, yellowish-white, tube 3 – 3,5 x 4 mm, lobes triangular, acute, basally with a continuous dark red stripe, upper ½ almost completely dark red ; only the 5 episepal stamens present.

Cytology : n = 32

Distinguished from other species by having only 5 stamens as well as long slender inflorescence branches and pedicels.

It appears to be most closely related to G. amethystinum and G. paraguayense according to the protologue.

Note :

The several minor differences between the recently published Graptopetalum kristenii and G. pentandrum are of no taxonomical relevance. i.e. G. kristenii is far too close to G. pentandrum to justify classification as a separate species. It could be considered a variety of the latter or simply indicate that G. pentandrum is more variable than previously thought.