Month: September 2018

Glottiphyllum regium (part 1 of 2)

This is the largest species of the genus (regium = royal), forming robust compact clumps up to 15 cm across.
The leaves are decussate  (arranged in a cross), longer than 6.5 cm (up to 13 cm) and 2 cm wide, three-angled in cross-section to more or less cylindrical. They have a sharp upright point and are slightly unequal, narrowed below and ranging in colour from bright green and grey-green to ochre.
The flowers have long stalks (longer than 3 cm), are up to 3.5 cm across and appear from June to December. After flowering, the fruits remain on the plants.

Although the species is locally abundant, it only occurs in a handful of sites near Calitzdorp, on sandstone slopes and sandy-loamy soils. It is therefore categorized as endangered.

In G.  surrectum the leaves are similar in shape, but shorter than 6 cm.
G. cruciatum is similar in general appearance, but has leaves with an expanded base.

Stayneria neilii

Oddly enough, even though this species belongs to the giants in the family, it is easy to overlook the plants when not in flower, because they usually occur among other plants that are about as tall or even taller.

They form stout erect shrubs up to 1.5 m tall, with light to dark green leaves, which are to 8 cm long and 8 mm wide, three-sided with a sharp edge at the bottom.
The flowers have white or pink petals and appear in winter and early spring (July-September), usually in groups of three to seven on a short stalk; they are to 4 cm in diameter and often look untidy.
The fruits have 6-9 compartments (usually 8); once opened they do not completely close anymore.

This is the only one species in the genus and has not been recorded from outside the Breede River Valley in the Western Cape, where it occurs on clay slopes and acid sandstone soil between Worcester and McGregor. The rainfall here is 300-400 mm per year, mainly in winter.