Cheiridopsis speciosa is a species of plant from South Africa.

Cheiridopsis speciosa
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Aizoaceae
Genus: Cheiridopsis
Species:
C. speciosa
Binomial name
Cheiridopsis speciosa
L.Bolus
Synonyms[1]
  • Cheiridopsis comptonii L.Bolus
  • Cheiridopsis comptonii L.Bolus ex Jacobsen

Description

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This succulent is a robust, clump-forming subshrub that grows up to 10 cm (3.9 in) tall with a diameter of up to 30 cm (12 in).[2] The leaves are a pale grey-green in colour with crimped margins. They are lightly keeled and faintly spotted.[2]

Flowers are present between August and September.[3] As with the other species of the genus, the flowers are open during the day and closed at night.[4] The flowers are solitary and with carmine to coppery petals. The centers may be magenta. They may also rarely be pure golden in colour.[2] The anthers are pale yellow.[3]

The fruit is 10-locular and cylindrical.[2]

Distribution and habitat

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This species is endemic to the Northern Cape of South Africa, whre it grows in the dry habitats found in Namaualand.[5][6] It grows on quartzite outcrops and flats between Lekkersing, Vlakmyn and Spitskloof.[3]

Conservation

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Cheiridopsis speciosa is considered to be of least concern by the South African National Biodiversity Institute.[5]

References

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  1. ^ "Cheiridopsis speciosa". Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e-Flora of South Africa. v1.36. 2022. South African National Biodiversity Institute. http://ipt.sanbi.org.za/iptsanbi/resource?r=flora_descriptions&v=1.36
  3. ^ a b c Snijman, D.A. (2013). Plants of the Greater Cape Floristic Regionn, Vol. 2: the Extra Cape flora (PDF). Strelitzia. John Manning, Peter Goldblatt. Pretoria: South African National Biodiversity Institute. ISBN 978-1-919976-74-7. OCLC 866860203.
  4. ^ Hammer, Steven (1993). "Macro-Observations on Cheiridopsis N.E.Br. and Odontophorus N.E.Br. (Aizoaceae)". Bradleya. 11 (11): 75–85. doi:10.25223/brad.n11.1993.a5. ISSN 0265-086X. S2CID 91077749.
  5. ^ a b Burgoyne, P.M (2006). "Cheiridopsis speciosa L.Bolus. National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2020.1". SANBI Red List of South African Plants. Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Cheiridopsis speciosa L.Bolus | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science". Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2023-01-30.