Hypagophytum
Hypagophytum abyssinicum the only species of the monotypic genus Hypagophytum is in the family Crassulaceae ( Crassulaceae ). The botanical name of the genus is derived from the Greek words " hypagein " from for deceiving, misleading and " phyton " for the plant. He refers to the erroneous classification of a species as Sempervivum.
Hypagophytum abyssinicum is a low permanent, perennial herbaceous plant whose roots form a tuber or a bulbous rhizome. It forms one or more drives of up to 26 centimeters in length. Leaves are arranged in whorls of three leaves. The obovate leaves are 1 to 3.5 inches long and 0.8 to 2.5 inches wide, they are sitting or have a stalk -like base. Near the blade edge are several hydathodes.
The terminal inflorescence usually consists of three branches of up to 5 centimeters in length where there are the terminal flower. Your flower stalk is up to 1.7 inches long. The flowers are 10 - to 12 - merous and haplostemon. Their sepals are fused together at their base at the half, the sepals are lanceolate and 1.5 to 2.5 mm long and 0.5 to 1 mm wide. The ( almost) free, white and sometimes slightly pink tinged petals are spread out in a star shape. They are 5.5 to 6.5 mm long (rarely 12 mm) and 1.3 to 1.5 millimeters wide. The stamens are as long as the petals about. The small Nektarschüppchen are circular. The free carpels are laterally compressed and clearly distinguishable into two parts. The upper part is bristly - ciliate papillae and more or less at the ventral suture.
The fruits are two-seeded follicles, the breakup cross at a constriction. The seeds are dark brown, cylindrical- ovate and indistinctly longitudinally ribbed.
Systematics and distribution
Hypagophytum abyssinicum is widespread in northern Ethiopia and grows in the highlands on steep rock faces at altitudes 2250-3500 meters. The only species of the genus was first described under the name Sempervivum abyssinicum. Alwin Berger proposed the new genus Hypagophytum for the type.
Another synonym is Sedum abyssinicum (A. Rich. ) Raym. - Hamet.