Biology:Acrodon
| Acrodon | |
|---|---|
| |
| Acrodon bellidiflorus, illustration from Plantarum historia succulentarum, 1802. | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Aizoaceae |
| Subfamily: | Ruschioideae |
| Tribe: | Ruschieae |
| Genus: | Acrodon N.E.Br.[1] |
| Type species | |
| Acrodon bellidiflorus (L.) N.E.Br.
| |
Acrodon is a genus of ice plants from South Africa . It comprises five species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa .[2]
Description
Species of Acrodon form dense, low mats or tufts of growth, and their leaves are triangular in cross-section.
Another distinctive feature is that the leaves and flowers have a few tiny teeth along the ends of their margins and keels.
The white or pink flowers often have striped petals. The fruits are solid and persistent, with five deep locules.[3]
History
Initially, Acrodon consisted of just one species - Acrodon bellidiflorus. A closer examination of Ruschia in 1986, however, found that several species shared traits with Acrodon bellidiflorus, resulting in them being moved to the genus Acrodon. Specifically, species in Acrodon had a more compact growth for while those in Ruschia formed shrubs, and Acrodon species had evenly spaced petals while Ruschia species had petals in five bundles. [4]
A later examination of Acrodon, specifically of the fruits, however, found that Acrodon likely consists of at least two distinct genera - Acrodon and Brianhuntleya. The species of Acrodon species have funnel-shaped capsule base while those of Brianhuntleya have flat capsule bases. These two fruit types require different positionings and orientations on and of the stalk holding them.[5]
Species
The following species are recognised as of January 2023:[6]
- Acrodon bellidiflorus (L.) N.E.Br. A common Renosterveld species that extends from Hermanus to Oudtshoorn.[7]
- Acrodon caespitosus H.E.K.Hartmann (Synonyms: Acrodon duplessiae (Bolus) Glen)[8]
- Acrodon deminutus Klak. A rarer species restricted to quartz-fields in the Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld and Potberg Ferricrete Fynbos vegetation types.[9]
- Acrodon parvifolius R.du Plessis. An endangered species restricted to quartz and silcrete patches near to the coast, in the Botrivier area.[10]
- Acrodon subulatus (Mill.) N.E.Br. An endangered species restricted to shale Renostervelds in the far western Overberg.[11] (Synonymns: Acrodon leptophyllus (Bolus) Glen)[12]
The following were previously included in Acrodon but have been moved to other genera:
- Acrodon purpureostylus (L.Bolus) Burgoyne - now Brianhuntleya purpureostyla (L.Bolus) H.E.K.Hartmann[13]
- Acrodon quarcicola H.E.K.Hartmann - now Brianhuntleya quarcicola (H.E.K.Hartmann) H.E.K.Hartmann[14]
Relatives
This species has historically been confused with Ruschia.[5] It is frequently confused with related genera that grow in the same region, such as Brianhuntleya or Cerochlamys.
References
- ↑ "Acrodon — the Plant List". http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Aizoaceae/Acrodon/.
- ↑ "Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants". http://redlist.sanbi.org/genus.php?genus=125.
- ↑ Vlok, J. and Schutte-Vlok, A. 2010. Plants of the Klein Karoo. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.
- ↑ Glen, H. F. (1986-10-28). "Numerical taxonomic studies in the subtribe Ruschiinae (Mesem-bryanthemaceae) — Astridia, Acrodon and Ebracteola". Bothalia 16 (2): 203–226. doi:10.4102/abc.v16i2.1088. ISSN 2311-9284. https://journals.abcjournal.aosis.co.za/index.php/abc/article/view/1088.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Hartmann, Heidrun E.K.; Niesler, Ingeborg M. (2012). "A Gordion knot in Ruschioideae (Aizoaceae): Acrodon and Brianhuntleya in an attempt to disentangle the confusion" (in en). Bradleya 30 (30): 33–60. doi:10.25223/brad.n30.2012.a8. ISSN 0265-086X. http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.25223/brad.n30.2012.a8.
- ↑ "Acrodon". Species. GBIF. http://www.gbif.org/species/3231699.
- ↑ Acrodon bellidiflorus - SANBI
- ↑ "Acrodon bellidiflorus". Species. GBIF. http://www.gbif.org/species/5555077.
- ↑ Acrodon deminutus - SANBI
- ↑ Acrodon parvifolius - SANBI
- ↑ Acrodon subulatus - SANBI
- ↑ "Acrodon subulatus". Species. GBIF. http://www.gbif.org/species/5555063.
- ↑ "Acrodon purpureostylus". Species. GBIF. http://www.gbif.org/species/8680116.
- ↑ "Acrodon quarcicola". Species. GBIF. http://www.gbif.org/species/5555065.
Wikidata ☰ Q149232 entry
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