UMBRATICOLA  N.E.Brown, 1895

Synonyms :

Crassula crenatifolia  Baker f. (1906)

Septas umbraticola  (N.E.Brown) P.V.Heath (1993) (nom. inval.)

Section Petrogeton

Distribution : SA (KwaZulu-Natal, Free State: Drakensberg); moist places beneath rocks in grassland.

Description (according to E. van Jaarsberg in IHSP, 2003) :

Geophytes with erect unbranched stems to 11 cm.

Rhizome branched with several globose tubers with fibrous adventitious roots.

Leaves in 3 - 4 pairs, 2 - 3.5 x 1.5 - 2.5 cm, flattened, obovate, elliptic to rarely orbicular, lower leaves with petioles to 1 cm, upper leaves sessile, surface glabrous, yellowish-green, margin dentate, base cuneate, tip obtuse.

Inflorescences terminal lax thyrses, peduncle to 3 cm.

Flowers : Sepals triangular, to 2 mm, corolla stellate, 5-merous, white to cream, petals lanceolate, to 4 mm, tips acute, spreading to recurved, anthers yellow.

Flowering time : Mid-summer to autumn.