RADICANS (Haworth) D.Dietrich, 1840 (engl./ fr.)
Synonyms :
Globulea radicans Haworth (1825) / Crassula radicans (Haworth) Dietrich (1840) / Globulea pubescens ssp. radicans (Haworth) P.V.Heath (1995)
Crassula radicans var. typica Schönland (1929) (nom. inval. Art. 24.3).
Crassula pubescens ssp. radicans (Haw.) Tölken (1975).
Distribution : Found in the eastern Cape more or less between Port Elizabeth and King William’s Town ; growing in sheltered valleys where they often form extensive stands under shrubs or trees.
Description by Tölken, 1985, (as C. pubescens ssp. radicans) :
Plants more or less erect but with lateral branches decumbent and rooting where touching ground, with internodes 2 – 5 (-10) mm long and visible between leaves.
Leaves oblanceolate, (6-) 10 – 25 (-30) x 2 – 5 mm, glabrous or puberulous.
Inflorescence a rounded to flat-topped thyrse (i.e. part-inflorescences are produced by 1 or 2 nodes on central axis) and peduncle with 3 – 5 (-7) bracts without flowers in their axils.
Flowers : Corolla : Petals with dorsal appendage ovoid to almost spherical, 0.4 – 0.6 mm long and about as long as broad.
Flowering time : November – February.
Description (by E. van Jaarsveld in IHSP, 2003) :
Forming dense mats.
Branches rooting when touching the ground, internodes shorter, 2 – 10 mm.
Leaves oblanceolate, 6 – 30 x 2 – 5 mm, glabrous (rarely hairy).
Inflorescences rounded thyrses with 7 pairs of bracts below flowers.
Flowers : Petals with ovoid to globose apical appendages.
Flowering time : November - February
Cytology : 2n = 28
Note :
It is implausible why Tölken has reduced Crassula radicans to a ssp. of C. pubescens. There is no obvious point of connection with this species. Harvey (1862) compared C. radicans with C. cultrata and Schönland (1911) even considered C. radicans only a form of C. cultrata. In his detailed first description Haworth used the adjective 'cultrate' for the leaf shape.
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Synonymes :
Globulea radicans Haworth (1827) / Globulea pubescens var. radicans (Haworth) P. V. Heath (1995)
Crassula radicans var. typica Schönland (1929)
Distribution : Afrique du Sud (Cap-Oriental) ; vallées du bushveld (maquis).
Description (par E. van Jaarsveld dans IHSP, 2003) :
Plante densément tapissante.
Branches s'enracinant dès qu'elles touchent le sol, entre-nœuds plus courts (2 – 10 mm).
Feuilles oblancéolées, 6 – 30 x 2 – 5 mm, glabres (rarement velues).
Inflorescences en thyrses arrondis avec 7 paires de bractées sous les fleurs.
Fleurs : Pointes des pétales munis d'appendices globulaires.
Période de floraison dans l'habitat : Novembre-février.
Cytologie : 2n = 28
Note :
Que Tölken ait réduit Crassula radicans à une ssp. de C. pubescens est incompréhensible : il n'y a aucune relation évidente avec cette espèce. Harvey (1862) compare C. radicans à C. cultrata, et Schönland (1911) considère même C. radicans comme une forme de C. cultrata.