Description :

• Dwarf, glabrous, tufted succulents, sometimes forming compact clumps, sometimes extensively rhizomatous with widely separated above-ground stems, occasionally with long stems pendulous from cliffs, or creeping
• Stems 4(-6)-angled, very variable in length, 6-25 mm thick, fleshy, with matt surface, subtessellate, tubercles obscure and obtuse, with small deltoid leaf, subtended by 2 stipular denticles to leafless and without stipules
• Flowers in groups of 1-5, developing successively on gradually lengthening peduncles randomly situated on stem; pedicel spreading to ascending, glabrous
• Calyx glabrous
• Corolla rotate to tubular-campanulate, deeply to shallowly lobed, (12)15-70 mm in diameter, inside often reticulately to transversely rugose, usually with small unicellular papillae, especially in tube
• Corona 2-seriate, arising from staminal column, glabrous; outer corona of 5 ascending to spreading, dorsiventrally flattened, simple lobes fused to inner lobes at base or fused laterally to lower sides of inner lobes to form cup around column; inner lobes incumbent on anthers, usually much exceeding them and rising up above centre of style head, dorsiventrally flattened at least towards base, mostly with laterally flattened deltoid to clavate dorsal 'fin' in lower half
• Staminal column arising near base of corolla tube on short stipe; style head not produced beyond anthers, truncate, depressed at apex
• Anthers 2-locular, horizontal on top of style head, subquadrate, without apical or lateral appendages
• Pollinia D-shaped, with short caudicles, corpuscle winged, ± as long as broad
• Follicles terete-fusiform, slender, mottled with purple, glabrous, smooth
• x = 11 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Tromotriche Haw.
  • Haworth: 36 (1812)
  • Leach: 549 (1984)
  • Bruyns: 198 (1995)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 11, SW Namibia, Northern, Western and Eastern Cape (winter-rainfall zone)