''Mitrophyllum'' is a

genus Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus com ...

succulent plant In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

s of the family

Aizoaceae The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is d ...

, indigenous to the arid region around the

Richtersveld The Richtersveld is a desert landscape characterised by rugged kloofs and high mountains, situated in the north-western corner of South Africa’s Northern Cape province. It is full of changing scenery from flat, sandy, coastal plains, to crag ...

, on the border of

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 ...

and

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and ea ...

Description

Mitrophyllum mitratum - Kirstenbosch greenhouse 3

The species generally grow stems, at the top of which two succulent leaves appear. Similar to the closely related genera of ''

Monilaria ''Monilaria'' is a genus of plants in the Family (biology), family ''Aizoaceae''. List of species * ''Monilaria brevifolia'' L.Bolus * ''Monilaria chrysoleuca'' Schwantes * ''Monilaria globosa'' (L.Bolus) L.Bolus * ''Monilaria luckhoffii'' L.Bo ...

'' and ''

Meyerophytum ''Meyerophytum'' is a genus of succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the arid region of the Namaqualand and Richtersveld, in the far north-west of South Africa. The species are small succulent shrubs that grow short slender ste ...

'', these leaf-pairs alternate consecutively between two different types of leaf-growth (heterophylly) and during the exceptionally hot summer they remain inactive in a dry sheath. When fused together into a cone-shaped corpuscle, this leaf pair is referred to as the plant's ''"

mitre The mitre (Commonwealth English) (; Greek: μίτρα, "headband" or "turban") or miter (American English; see spelling differences), is a type of headgear now known as the traditional, ceremonial headdress of bishops and certain abbots in ...

"'', and this is the origin of the genus name. The two separate leaves of the free leaf-pair are rounded-triangular to tongue-shaped. The fused leaf-pair forms a cone-shaped to cylindrical corpuscle, which bears two smaller ear-like anthers at the top. This fused corpuscle dries out in the plant's dormancy period, eventually becoming a papery sheath in which the new (separate) leaf-pair forms.

Cultivation

In cultivation, the plants are not difficult to grow. However they require deep well-drained sandy soil and sufficient sun exposure. They are also adapted to very dry summers and watering mainly over the winter. Their period of growth is primarily over late autumn and winter. They are slow growing, maturing over many decades, and are difficult to propagate by cuttings; consequently seed is the preferred means of propagation.

Species

* ''

Mitrophyllum abbreviatum ''Mitrophyllum'' is a genus of succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the arid region around the Richtersveld, on the border of South Africa and Namibia. Description The species generally grow stems, at the top of which two s ...

'', a slender, low and densely-branched shrub, up to 40 cm tall. Free leaves 10–30 × 5–8 mm. Fused leaf-pair forming oval-rounded corpuscle that is wider than stem. Occurs in quartz rock crevices in the Augrabies area. * ''

Mitrophyllum clivorum ''Mitrophyllum'' is a genus of succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the arid region around the Richtersveld, on the border of South Africa and Namibia. Description The species generally grow stems, at the top of which two s ...

'', a slender-stemmed shrub, up to 60 cm tall. Free leaves 10–50 × 8–20 mm. Fused leaf-pair forming corpuscle that is roughly as wide as the stem (1–4 cm long and c.1 cm wide). Yellow-white flowers appear in May–June. Grows in sheltered places near the Namibian-South African border. * ''

Mitrophyllum dissitum ''Mitrophyllum'' is a genus of succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the arid region around the Richtersveld, on the border of South Africa and Namibia. Description The species generally grow stems, at the top of which two s ...

'', a slender, multi-branched shrub, 40–60 cm tall. Free leaves 10–50 × 8–15 mm. Fused leaf pair forms connate corpuscle 10–40 mm long and 5–15 mm wide. Yellow-white and pinkish flowers. The fruit stalk of this species is uniquely dark brown and corky at its base. Occurs on steep, rocky, south-facing slopes. * ''

Mitrophyllum grande ''Mitrophyllum'' is a genus of succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the arid region around the Richtersveld, on the border of South Africa and Namibia. Description The species generally grow stems, at the top of which two s ...

'', a low, compact, un-branched perennial, up to 20 cm tall, with short-shoots only from which erect long-shoots develop. The internodes between the leaf-pairs are over a centimeter in diameter. Free leaf-pairs are 6–12 cm x 2–3 cm, and the very large, oval "mitres" (paired leaves) are 2–10 cm x 1.5-3.5 cm. Yellow-white (occasionally pinkish) flowers appear in May to July. The fruits are partially covered in membranes, and born on straight, erect stalks. This species occurs on south-facing slopes among quartz stones near the Namibian border. * ''

Mitrophyllum mitratum ''Mitrophyllum'' is a genus of succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the arid region around the Richtersveld, on the border of South Africa and Namibia. Description The species generally grow stems, at the top of which two s ...

'', a slowly-branching, compact, caudiciform shrub, up to 60 cm in height. Free leaves are 4–10 cm x c.2 cm. Fused leaf-pair forms large cylindrical cone, 3.5–10 cm x 1.5-3.5 cm. Yellow-white (occasionally pinkish) flowers break out of the fused leaf-cone from February to March. The fruita only sometimes have a very narrow membrane covering them, and are born on straight, erect stalks. It occurs on south-facing slopes, among quartz rocks in the northern Namaqualand near the Namibian border.Mitrophyllum mitratum
/ref> * ''

Mitrophyllum roseum ''Mitrophyllum'' is a genus of succulent plants of the family Aizoaceae, indigenous to the arid region around the Richtersveld, on the border of South Africa and Namibia. Description The species generally grow stems, at the top of which two s ...

'', a low succulent shrub up to 15 cm tall and often drooping. Distinguished by its magenta flowers, and its exposed fruits that are born on bent stalks. It grows on foggy, west-facing slopes near Komaggas.

References

External links

Aizoaceae Aizoaceae genera {{Aizoaceae-stub