Anacampseros retusa Poelln. f. rubra G.Will.
Appendix II Indigenous Endemic

Morphological description

Plant succulent, miniature, clumped, up to 40 x 40 mm, arising from thickened tuber ca. 20 x 15 mm. Leaves bright, shiny-red, with retuse apices ca. 5 mm broad and with a pyramidal base up to 11 mm long. Flowers about 15 mm across. Seeds are typical of Anacampseros retusa. From: Williamson, G. 2003. Notes on Anacampseros retusa Poelln. (Portulacaceae) with descriptions of two new forms and one subspecies. Excelsa 20: 27-33. [All rights reserved]

Diagnostic description

The vicious habitat conditions requires a special adaptation. The plants develop a shiny red pigmentation. This coloration remains in cultivation and was still evident in hort. four years after collection. Longitudinal section of leaves show the deep red cells are concentrated up to 2 mm well below the epidermis towards the apex. The pigmented cells are also found below the epidermis over the full length of the leaf. The cells towards the centre of the leaf are almost translucent or very slightly yellowish. Thus it would seem that photosynthesis is limited, possibly due to the climatic conditions, but the morphological features of the plant are very adequate for survival in extreme conditions. The leaves and seeds are typical of Anacampseros retusa. From: Williamson, G. 2003. Notes on Anacampseros retusa Poelln. (Portulacaceae) with descriptions of two new forms and one subspecies. Excelsa 20: 27-33. [All rights reserved]

Habitat

In cracks and shallow sand pans on slabs of weathered Table Mountain sandstone growing in full sun. In summer the rock temperatures are so intense that one cannot walk barefoot. Due to very low atmosphere cover the ultraviolet radiation is extreme and sun radiation to earth intense. During one of our expeditions, while camping in midwinter, at the exact locality where this Anacampseros grew, the temperature dropped to -2° C and by 10 o’clock in the morning the whole area was still covered in hoarfrost and the surrounding mountains capped with snow mimicking a scene from Switzerland. The annual rainfall, depending on the season, is between 100-250 mm annually and the altitude is up to 400 m. Mountain fogs condense in the river valley. From: Williamson, G. 2003. Notes on Anacampseros retusa Poelln. (Portulacaceae) with descriptions of two new forms and one subspecies. Excelsa 20: 27-33. [All rights reserved]

Distribution

Republ. of S. Africa, Western Cape Province. From: Williamson, G. 2003. Notes on Anacampseros retusa Poelln. (Portulacaceae) with descriptions of two new forms and one subspecies. Excelsa 20: 27-33. [All rights reserved]

Altitude

0 to 400 m

Occurrence records map

This map contains point-based occurrences at different locations

iNaturalist: BODATSA: Data partners records:

Residence status

Occurrence in the Flora of Southern Africa (FSA) countries and South African provinces. Residence status indicates if a taxon is indigenous, endemic, naturalised or invasive in a specific region. This data is based on specimen records and literature

FSA

SA

BOT

NAM

ESW

LES

WC

EC

NC

FS

GA

KZN

LP

MP

NW

Absent

Indigenous

Endemic

Naturalised

Invasive

×

Names and Sources

Accepted name
Anacampseros retusa Poelln. f. rubra G.Will.

Published in: Excelsa 20: 27 (2003)

Synonym(s)

Classification

KINGDOM Plantae

SUBKINGDOM Phanerogamae

SPECIES retusa

FORMA rubra

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Plant occurence records per dataset

Plant occurence records per year

Occurrence records map

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2003

PERIODICAL/JOURNAL

Notes on Anacampseros retusa Poelln. (Portulacaceae) with descriptions of two new forms and one subspecies Williamson, G

Excelsa 20: 27-33

1997

BOOK

List of southern African succulent plants Smith, GF

Umdaus Press, Pretoria

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Part(s) of plant used Use(s) Reference

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