''Acrodon'' is a genus of
ice plants from
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
. It comprises 8 species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , and the third most populous, with an estimated 7 million inhabitants in 2020 ...
and
Eastern Cape
The Eastern Cape is one of the provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, but its two largest cities are East London and Gqeberha.
The second largest province in the country (at 168,966 km2) after Northern Cape, it was formed in ...
Provinces,
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring countri ...
.
Description
Species of ''Acrodon'' form dense, low mats or tufts of growth, and their leaves are triangular in cross-section.
Another distinctive feature is that the leaves and flowers have a few tiny teeth along the ends of their margins and keels.
The white or pink flowers often have striped petals. The fruits are solid and persistent, with five deep locules.
Species
*''
Acrodon bellidiflorus
''Acrodon bellidiflorus'', the common tiptoothfig, is a mesemb species from South Africa.
Description
''Acrodon bellidiflorus'' is a compact succulent perennial plant.e-Flora of South Africa. v1.36. 2022. South African National Biodiversity I ...
'' (L.) N.E.Br. A common
Renosterveld
Renosterveld is a term used for one of the major plant communities and vegetation types of the Cape Floristic Region (Cape Floral Kingdom) which is located in southwestern and southeastern South Africa, in southernmost Africa. It is an ecoregion ...
species that extends from
Hermanus
Hermanus (originally called ''Hermanuspietersfontein'', but shortened in 1902 as the name was too long for the postal service to
Oudtshoorn
Oudtshoorn (, ), the "ostrich capital of the world", is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, located between the Swartberg mountains to the north and the Outeniqua Mountains to the south. Two ostrich-feather booms, during 1865–1 ...
.
*''
Acrodon deminutus'' Klak. A rarer species restricted to quartz-fields in the
Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld and
Potberg Ferricrete Fynbos vegetation types.
*''
Acrodon duplessiae
''Acrodon'' is a genus of ice plants from South Africa. It comprises 8 species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa.
Description
Species of ''Acrodon'' f ...
'' (Bolus) Glen
*''
Acrodon leptophyllus
''Acrodon'' is a genus of ice plants from South Africa. It comprises 8 species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa.
Description
Species of ''Acrodon ...
'' (Bolus) Glen
*''
Acrodon parvifolius
''Acrodon parvifolius'', the Botriver tiptoothfig, is a species of mesemb from South Africa. This species, which grows close to the ground, can best be recognised by its small, thin leaves and its flowers, which form a dome in the middle.
Desc ...
'' R.du Plessis. An endangered species restricted to quartz and silcrete patches near to the coast, in the
Botrivier
Botrivier is a small town of approximately 10 000 people, situated in the Overberg region of the Western Cape in South Africa.
Village in the former Caledon district, 93 km southeast of Cape Town. It takes its name from the Bot River on the ...
area.
*''
Acrodon purpureostylus
''Acrodon'' is a genus of ice plants from South Africa. It comprises 8 species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa.
Description
Species of ''Acrodon'' f ...
'' (L.Bolus) Burgoyne. An endangered species restricted to gravelly, loamy shales in the greater Breede river valley, from Robertson down to as far as the Potberg.
*''
Acrodon quarcicola
''Acrodon'' is a genus of ice plants from South Africa. It comprises 8 species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the Western Cape and Eastern Cape Provinces, South Africa.
Description
Species of ''Acrodon'' f ...
'' H.E.K.Hartmann. An endangered species from exposed quartzitic slopes in the Agulhas region.
*''
Acrodon subulatus
''Acrodon subulatus'', the Overberg tiptoothfig, is a species of mesemb from South Africa.
Description
''Acrodon subulatus'' is a compact perennial succulent.e-Flora of South Africa. v1.36. 2022. South African National Biodiversity Institute. ...
'' (Mill.) N.E.Br. An endangered species restricted to shale
Renosterveld
Renosterveld is a term used for one of the major plant communities and vegetation types of the Cape Floristic Region (Cape Floral Kingdom) which is located in southwestern and southeastern South Africa, in southernmost Africa. It is an ecoregion ...
s in the far western Overberg.
''Acrodon subulatus'' - SANBI
/ref>
Relatives
It is frequently confused with related genera that grow in the same region, such as '' Brianhuntleya'' or '' Cerochlamys''.
References
Flora of the Cape Provinces
Aizoaceae genera
Taxa named by N. E. Brown
{{Aizoaceae-stub