''Crassula nudicaulis'' is a

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 ...

native to

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 ...

(the

Cape Provinces The Cape Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "CPP". It includes the Sout ...

, the Free State,

KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...

and the

Northern Provinces The Northern Provinces of South Africa is a biogeographical area used in the World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions (WGSRPD). It is part of the WGSRPD region 27 Southern Africa. The area has the code "TVL". It includes the S ...

), and

Lesotho Lesotho ( ), officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a country landlocked country, landlocked as an Enclave and exclave, enclave in South Africa. It is situated in the Maloti Mountains and contains the Thabana Ntlenyana, highest mountains in Sou ...

Description

''Crassula nudicaulis'' is a perennial succulent herb with a thickened taproot and several low rosettes of basal leaves. Plants are somewhat variable in appearance and there are several subspecies over the plant's wide range. The leaves of this species can turn brown, but they do not adopt the brick red hues sometimes taken on by ''

Crassula subacaulis ''Crassula'' is a genus of succulent plants containing about 200 accepted species, including the popular jade plant (''Crassula ovata''). They are members of the stonecrop family (Crassulaceae) and are native to many parts of the globe, but culti ...

'' and ''

Crassula clavata ''Crassula clavata'', is a species of succulent plant in the genus ''Crassula'' found in Cape Province, South Africa. Description ''Crassula clavata'' grows up to 10 inches tall. It has tightly packed oblanceolate The following is a list of te ...

''. The inflorescence is a spike, with bracts that are not ciliate; the lowest one to three pairs of bracts have no flowers in the axils but the others do. The flowers are turned upwards, they have yellow anthers and distinctive dorsal appendages. This species is closely related to ''

Crassula cotyledonis ''Crassula cotyledonis'' is a succulent plant endemic to the arid Namaqualand and Karoo regions of South Africa. Description This plant forms a low, sparse rosette. Its tiny, woody stem is short and against the ground. Its flattened, ovate (s ...

'', which is a more robust species that has marginal leaf-hair in more than one line. It can also be confused with ''

'', but that species has glabrous (smooth), oblanceolate-obovate leaves that turn deep purple-red in the sun.

Subspecies variation

This species is variable, and several subspecies exist: ** subsp. ''nudicaulis'': The nominate subspecies has oblong-elliptic (cylindrical), reddish-green leaves that are long and faintly pubescent. ** subsp. ''herrei'': This

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 ...

subspecies has shorter, thicker, more fleshy, hairless leaves, long, but can grow into a shrubby bush up to tall. ** subsp. ''platyphylla'': This southern Karoo subspecies has blue-grey foliage; the leaves are broadly oblong to orbicular with cilia near the margins. File:Crassula nudicaulis Langeberge 1 - Copy.jpg, ''C. nudicaulis'' var. ''nudicaulis'' File:Crassula nudicaulis var herrei.jpg, ''C. nudicaulis'' var. ''herrei'' from the Namaqualand and Richtersveld regions. File:Gardenology-IMG 5156 hunt10mar.jpg, ''C. nudicaulis'' var. ''platyphylla'' from the southern Karoo region

Distribution and habitat

''Crassula nudicaulis'' is native to southern Africa where its range extends from the Western Cape to the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and Lesotho. Its habitat is hillside and mountain slopes.

Cultivation

''Crassula nudicaulis'' is easy to grow as a potplant in a gravelly medium. Mealy bugs and fungal diseases can cause problems, and over-watering should be avoided. Propagation is by division, offsets or leaf cuttings.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15482583 nudicaulis Flora of the Cape Provinces Flora of the Free State Flora of KwaZulu-Natal Flora of Lesotho Flora of the Northern Provinces Plants described in 1753 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus