Description:

• Annual procumbent herbs; stems and leaves papillate, glistening
• Leaves ± flat, oblong to ovate in outline, irregularly lyrate-pinnatifid
• Flowers solitary, up to 10 mm in diameter, pedicellate, ebracteate; opening in afternoon, around 16:00
• Sepals 5, unequal, largest lanceolate
• Petals ± 20, 2- or 3-seriate, linear-oblong, pointed, light yellow
• Stamens usually ± 5(14), 1-seriate with filamentous papillae near base; staminodes 0
• Nectary of 5 inconspicuous light green glands
• Ovary vaulted above; placentas parietal; stigmas (4)5(6), filiform, ± 3 mm long, spreading
• Fruit a (4)5(6)-locular capsule, of Mitrophyllum type; expanding sheets large, tapering into loose apical membranes; covering membranes reduced to a limb; closing bodies 0
• Seeds with very small tubercles

• Flowering mid-winter to early spring

• Distinguishing characters:
  • Annual herbs with flat-growing habit and pinnatifid leaves
  • Fruit on relatively long pedicels and flat on top
  • Flowers yellow

Nomenclature:

• Aethephyllum N.E.Br.
  • Brown: 400 (1928)
  • Herre: 64 (1971)
  • Ihlenfeldt & Struck: 411 (1986)
  • Smith et al.: 58 (1998)
• Micropterum Schwantes
  • Schwantes: 17 (1928) in part
  • Winkler: 19 (1957)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species 1: Aethephyllum pinnatifidum L.f., restricted to a narrow north-south band in the SW part of the Western Cape; so far recorded from Gifberg near Vanrhynsdorp, the Cederberg, as well as the areas around Tulbagh, Paarl and Stellenbosch; the species forms part of the early post-fire vegetation in fynbos