Conicosia
Conicosia pugioniformis
Conicosia is a plant genus of the family of Mesembryanthemum plants ( Aizoaceae ). The botanical name of the genus comes from the Greek word for konikos, conical ' and refers to the conical shaped fruits.
Description
The species of the genus Conicosia grow as a perennial plant with a predominantly vegetative leaf crown in the middle and deciduous lateral branches with frequently changing permanent foliage leaves that produce the inflorescence. You have persistent taproots or tubers. The cylindrical or triangular leaves are up to 40 centimeters long. Your epidermis contains no bladder cells.
The flowers are upright and have five sepals. Your ciliated in the lower half of the petals are yellow. The more or less at its base to the bowl-shaped bell, xerochastischen schizocarps have no source tissue.
Systematics and distribution
The genus Conicosia is widespread in South Africa in Namaqualand, Northern Cape Province, as well as in the western districts of the Western Cape Province. It grows mainly on open, sandy places in the winter rainfall areas.
The first description of the genus by Nicholas Edward Brown was published in 1925. The genus Conicosia is divided into two subgenera with the following species and subspecies:
- Subgenus Herrea ( Schwantes ) Ihlenf. & Gerbaulet Conicosia elongata ( Haw. ) Schwantes
- Conicosia pugioniformis (L.) N.E.Br. Conicosia pugioniformis subsp. pugioniformis
- Conicosia pugioniformis subsp. alborosea ( L.Bolus ) Ihlenf. & Gerbaulet
- Conicosia pugioniformis subsp. muirii ( N.E.Br. ) Ihlenf. & Gerbaulet