Description :

• Compact, small, tufted or clumped perennials, very short-stemmed
• Leaves opposite, fused to base, often of different length, thick, fleshy, shortly triangular or broadly spatulate, semicylindrical at base, ± keeled towards apex, margins and keel with many small white teeth, rarely not toothed, olive-green to drab grey, often purple when stressed but sometimes permanently reddish or purple
• Flowers solitary, sessile or with short pedicel, without bracts, with a distinct hypanthium; opening late afternoon or early evening, staying open until ± midnight; scented
• Sepals 4-6
• Petals yellow or white
• Stamens epapillate
• Nectary usually of 5 distinct crenulate glands, near base of hypanthium
• Ovary with parietal placentas; stigmas 5(6), clavate, rounded, short
• Fruit a 5(6)-locular capsule, of Delosperma type; with very narrow rims along septa and with seed pockets derived from basal false septa; locules deep; expanding keels parallel, thick, yellowish, diverging at tips; valve wings narrow or broad; covering membranes vestigial; closing bodies 0
• Seeds ± 1 mm long, light brown to brown
• x = 9 (polyploidy)

• Flowering early spring to early summer

• Distinguishing characters :
  • Small perennial clumps
  • Leaves with many marginal, short teeth
  • Leaf surfaces highly textured

Nomenclature:

• Stomatium Schwantes
  • Schwantes: 175 (1926)
  • Herre: 296 (1971)
  • Smith et al.: 194 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 39, occur in three east-west bands across the arid South African interior. These areas include parts of Namaqualand, Bushmanland and the Great Karoo in the Northern Cape. Further south, species grow in the arid Great Karoo which stretches across the Northern, Western and Eastern Cape. The third area is mostly confined to the central Free State