Description :

• Tufted, compact perennials; rootstock woody or tuberous and old stems covered with dry leaf bases; flowering branches usually with 4 leaves, pale green and finely rough-papillate
• Leaves falcate, much deeper than broad, flat above, lower surface keeled in upper half and rounded towards base, pinkish grey-green, waxy; epidermis with slightly papillate to ± flat cells, subsidiary cells raised, outer epidermal wall with a thick layer of crystal sand
• Flowers 1-3-nate, with short peduncle and foliaceous bracts at base; opening around midday, after a few days flowers do not close again
• Sepals 5, keeled, acuminate, inner ones with narrow, membranous margins; fused at base to form short hypanthium
• Petals several-seriate, connate at base, obtuse, not spreading widely due to position of flower amongst leaves, pale lemon-yellow to white
• Stamens and staminodes 8-seriate; anterior filaments without papillae, posterior ones with papillae; petals, stamens and staminodes positioned on thick, swollen, ring-shaped cushion above hypanthium in which copious amounts of nectar accumulate
• Nectary of 5 slightly separated crenulate glands
• Ovary obconic, concave from outer rim; placentas parietal; stigmas 5, subulate, incurved
• Fruit a capsule of Delosperma type; with a slightly raised basal placenta; with narrow valve wings; covering membranes 0; closing bodies 0; stalk elongates as fruit ripens
• Seeds light brown, oval

• Flowering in winter

• Distinguishing characters :
  • Compact perennials
  • Leaves sickle-shaped, smooth
  • Flowers with hypanthium
  • Petals greenish white

Nomenclature:

• Ruschianthus L.Bolus
  • Bolus: 62 (1961)
  • Friedrich: 121 (1970)
  • Herre: 272 (1971)
  • Smith et al.: 230 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 1: Ruschianthus falcatus L.Bolus, very restricted area in S Namibia, at the edge of the Namib Desert