Astridia
Astridia longifolia
Astridia is a plant genus of the family of Mesembryanthemum plants ( Aizoaceae ). The botanical name of the genus honors Astrid Schwantes, wife of Gustav Schwantes.
Description
The species of the genus Astridia grow as succulent shrub of up to 50 centimeters in height, whose appearance is determined by the thick crescent to crescent-shaped, triangular and sharp -edged or three rare finger-shaped leaves. Your epidermis is covered with low or high papillae, which feel the leaves in the latter case velvety. The stomata are sunk. They are located at the base of low papillae or in depressions which are surmounted by long papillae. The outer Epidermiswand contains a layer crystal sand and larger grains 5 to 15 micrometers in length.
The single, 30 to 70 inches in diameter measured blossoms have bracts. There are six sepals present. The petals are white, yellow, orange, red or colored purple. In the last three color variants, the base of the petals is often white or yellow. The petals of the inner circle are sometimes shorter and narrower and seem to go into the numerous filamentous staminodes. The filamentous staminodes, which may be absent, the stamens surrounded in a cone. The nectary forms a lophomorphen ring.
The usually sechsfächrigen fruits are funnel-shaped at their base. They contain 1.2 to 1.7 mm long and 0.85 to 1.5 millimeters wide seeds whose testa is different papillose.
Systematics and distribution
The genus Astridia is south of Lüderitz in Namibia spread to the northwest of the Namaqualand in South Africa. The species usually grow on rocks in areas with rainfall amounts of less than 100 millimeters per year, which falls in the winter or in March. A little fog also contributes to precipitation.
The first description of the genus by Kurt Dinter and Gustav Schwantes was published in 1927. The genus Astridia include the following types:
- Astridia alba ( L.Bolus ) L.Bolus
- Astridia citrina ( L.Bolus ) L.Bolus
- Astridia dulcis L.Bolus
- Astridia hallii L.Bolus
- Astridia herrei L.Bolus
- Astridia hillii L.Bolus
- Astridia longifolia ( L.Bolus ) L.Bolus
- Astridia lutata ( L.Bolus ) Friedrich ex HEKHartmann
- Astridia rubra ( L.Bolus ) L.Bolus
- Astridia speciosa L.Bolus
- Astridia vanheerdei L.Bolus
- Astridia velutina Dinter