Tag: Sarcocaulon
Monsonia (Sarcocaulon) ciliata Part 1
This planr is only known from northwestern Namaqualand, where it grows in the coastal plain between the mountains and the sea, from Lekkersing southwards to Wallekraal. The plants are usually not taller than 18 cm. The flowers are about 3.5 cm in diameter and are characterized by the cilia along the rim of the petals. According to literature the flowers appear in March, September and in summer, but all but one of the pictures shown here and in the next post were made in July and August.
Monsonia salmoniflora (= Sarcocaulon salmoniflorum)
It is always a bit sad when a name that you have known for many years, is replaced by another one. This is even more so if the old name had a certain appeal to you, e.g. because it sounded nice or had a meaning that made it easy to remember. Some of these name changes are unavoidable as they are the result of following the nomenclatural code. In other cases it is more a matter of opinion, so much so that one sometimes wonders what the value of the new name really is. Probably better not to open this can of worms here.
In 1996 the genus Sarcocaulon was included in the genus Monsonia based on molecular studies and it seems that the new arrangement has been more or less generally accepted by now.
M. salmoniflora forms shrublets up to 40 cm tall and is widely distributed in Namibia and South Africa. The plants flower mainly in Oct.-Dec. The flowers are up to 3 cm across with colours ranging from pink to orange.
Psammophora modesta
The young leaves are sticky and collect dust and sand grains to protect them against desiccation (the genus name means sand bearer). The small plant is accompanied by Sarcocaulon (Monsonia) multifidum.
Richtersveld 6 Sept. 2010
