Cheiridopsis is a genus of flowering succulent perennial plants, with 41 species native to semi-arid regions of western Namibia and the Cape Provinces of South Africa. Some of the members of this genus, such as Cheiridopsis peculiaris, are critically endangered in habitat.
Description
Most species are clump-forming, a few are shrubby. The leaves are opposite and triangular in section, rarely flattened, the surface more or less velvety, which makes them easy to distinguish from species of the allied genus Argyroderma. Daisy-like flowers open during the day in summer, are borne singly and usually have yellow, rarely purple or red, petals.
The name comes from the Greek "cheiris", meaning "sleeve". Each succeeding pair of leaves differs from the previous one in form, size, and relative unity of the leaves. Those most united wither in the resting period and form a papery sheath covering the succeeding pair of leaves during dormancy in dry, hot summer.
Distribution The genus occurs in the far west of South Africa and Namibia. Here it occurs from the Western Cape Province northwards through the Namaqualand, into Namibia.
Cultivation The species are mostly adapted to a very arid, winter-rainfall climate. The tender species C. peculiaris requires cultivation under glass in temperate regions.
Species 41 species are accepted.
Cheiridopsis acuminata Cheiridopsis alba-oculata Cheiridopsis amabilis Cheiridopsis angustifolia Cheiridopsis aspera Cheiridopsis brownii Cheiridopsis campanulata Cheiridopsis caroli-schmidtii Cheiridopsis delphinoides Cheiridopsis denticulata Cheiridopsis derenbergiana Cheiridopsis excavata Cheiridopsis gamoepensis Cheiridopsis glomerata Cheiridopsis herrei Cheiridopsis imitans Cheiridopsis meyeri Cheiridopsis minor Cheiridopsis namaquensis Cheiridopsis nana Cheiridopsis nelii Cheiridopsis pearsonii Cheiridopsis peculiaris Cheiridopsis pillansii Cheiridopsis pilosula Cheiridopsis ponderosa Cheiridopsis purpurea Cheiridopsis pusilla Cheiridopsis robusta Cheiridopsis rostrata Cheiridopsis rudis Cheiridopsis schlechteri Cheiridopsis speciosa Cheiridopsis spiculata Cheiridopsis turbinata Cheiridopsis umbrosa Cheiridopsis umdausensis Cheiridopsis vanbredae Cheiridopsis vanzijlii Cheiridopsis velox Cheiridopsis verrucosa
References
Lord, Tony (2003) Flora : The Gardener's Bible : More than 20,000 garden plants from around the world. London: Cassell. Botanica Sistematica