Description:

• Annual, papillate herbs, procumbent to ascending, rarely compact; up to ± 100 mm high in flower
• Leaves mostly alternate, first two whorls decussate, spatulate to oblong-ovoid to linear, flattish, in rosettes below and somewhat spaced above, not or only slightly connate at base, soft, narrowed into petiole-like base
• Flowers solitary, terminal or axillary, up to 40 mm in diameter, on ebracteate pedicels up to 60 mm long; opening in morning and closing at night
• Sepals 5, variable, sometimes foliaceous, softly papillate
• Petals 2-seriate, free, linear-lanceolate or inconspicuous in D. apetalus; in many different colours ranging from white, yellow and orange to various shades of red, pink and purple; usually lighter towards base, resulting in a halo effect, centre mostly darker
• Stamens brown or reddish, sometimes hairy at base; staminodes 0
• Nectary a crenulate ring
• Ovary flattish, without ribs or tubercles; placentas parietal; stigmas 5, subulate, papillate on inside
• Fruit a 5-locular capsule, of Mitrophyllum type; with persistent stigmas; expanding sheets large; expanding keels diverging; valve wings narrow, acute; covering membranes present or 0
• Seeds pear-shaped to globose, smooth and whitish or verrucose and dark brown
• x = 9

• Flowering late winter to spring in habitat

• Distinguishing characters:
  • Annuals, with glistening bladder cell idioblasts
  • Flowers multicoloured
  • Fruit often with persistent stigmas

Nomenclature:

• Dorotheanthus Schwantes
  • Schwantes: 283 (1927)
  • Herre: 138 (1971)
  • Ihlenfeldt & Struck: 411 (1986)
  • Brusse: 89 (1996)
  • Smith et al.: 70 (1998)
• Pherelobus N.E.Br.
  • Brown: 400 (1928)
  • Herre: 248 (1971)
• Stigmatocarpum L.Bolus
  • Bolus: 326 (1927)
• Sineoperculum Van Jaarsv.
  • Van Jaarsveld: 5 (1982)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species 7, restricted to winter-rainfall region of South Africa. They are common along the coast and interior of Namaqualand in the Western and Northern Cape