DARAINENSIS   D.-P. Klein & Callm. 2021

Subg. Kalanchoe

Distribution : Madagascar (Massif of Antsahabe, near Daraina).

Description :

Small, perennial, rosulate, succulent plants, up to 13.5 cm high, almost entirely densely covered with medium to long glandular hairs.

Stems terete, 2.5 – 3.5 mm diam.

Leaves 6 – 50 x 4 – 51 mm, decussate, ovate, elliptic to orbicular, sometimes wider than long, light bright green to olive with slightly reddish margins, tip rounded, margins irregularly wide-sinuate to wide-crenate, base obtuse to near truncate, often oblique, long petiolate to subsessile.

Inflorescence : typically one per rosette, peduncle 6.5 – 10 cm tall with 1 – few bracts, cyme with up to 3 secondary branches with up to 31 flowers, pedicels 2 – 2.5 mm long.

Flowers : Calyx tube 0.1 – 0.2 mm long, indistinct, green, sepals 1 – 1.9 x 0.2 . 0.65 mm, narrowly lanceolate, corolla tube 6 – 8 mm long, at widest part 1.5 – 2 mm, scarlet-red, petals 2 – 3.5 x 2 mm, ovate-obovate, apex obtuse, anthers dull brownish-yellow.

Flowering time : April – October

Note :

Kalanchoe darainensis is most similar to K. blossfeldiana and K. globulifera. Among the northern representatives of Kalanchoe subg. Kalanchoe in Madagascar, a scarlet red flower colour is unique to K. blossflediana and K. darainensis.