Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx

Smith, Gideon F. & Shtein, Ronen, 2021, Taxonomic notes on Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae) and its horticultural derivatives, Phytotaxa 478 (2), pp. 225-238 : 234-235

Nomenclature of Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx

Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx ( Baker 1883: 142) Baillon (1885: 469) [not p. 449 as stated by Descoings 2003: 170]. Hamet (1908: 41); Hamet (1910: 49); Raymond-Hamet & Marnier-Lapostolle (1964: 95; Plate III, Figure N, Plate XXXIV, Figures 117–118); Jacobsen (1977: 288); Jacobsen (1986: 624); Rauh (1995: 116, 155–156); Boiteau & Allorge-Boiteau (1995: 78); Descoings (2003: 170).

Basionym:— Kitchingia porphyrocalyx Baker (1883: 142) . Homotypic synonym:— Bryophyllum porphyrocalyx (Baker) Berger (1930: 412) . Type:— MADAGASCAR. Central Madagascar, October 1882, Baron 1708 (holotype K K000232804).

Heterotypic synonyms:— Kalanchoe sulphurea Baker (1887: 471) ; Bryophyllum sulphureum (Baker) Berger (1930: 412) ; Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx var. sulphurea (Baker) Boiteau & Mannoni (1948b: 58) , Jacobsen (1977: 288), Rauh (1995: 155). Type:— MADAGASCAR. Central Madagascar, received November 1885 [presumably at Herb. K], Baron 4180 (holotype K K000232793).

Nomenclatural notes:—‘ Kitchingia sulphurea Baker’ is not a name and was not intended or published by Baker (1887: 471).

‘ Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx var. typica Boiteau & Mannoni’ in Cactus (Paris) 17–18: 58 (1948b) was not validly published (Turland et al. 2018: Art. 24.3).

Description:—Perennial, shrub-like, smooth, sparsely to much-branched, with medium-sized, sparse, untidily haphazard canopies, succulent, to 40 cm tall. Stems and branches robust, light green to light brownish green, with the surface appearing finely cracked into small, light green squares, ± erect, sturdy, leaf scars obvious, light yellowish, internodes thickened. Leaves few in upper ½ to ¼ of branches, similar throughout, sparsely to densely arranged, erect to slanted away from branches at an angle of 30–45º, succulent, glabrous, not waxy, shortly petiolate to subsessile, lengthwise slightly folded upwards along midrib, light to mid-green, veins abaxially outlined in purple; petiole same colour as leaf blade but purple-infused, succulent, 1–10 mm long; blade 30–50 × 15–25 mm, oblong-ovate, constant in shape and outline, succulent; base narrow, attenuate to cuneate; apex rounded-obtuse, ending in a broad, blunt tooth; margins ± irregularly toothed with coarse crenations especially in upper ½, more rarely entire, concolourous or faintly to distinctly purple-infused. Inflorescence a terminal, apically branched, one- to few-flowered head-shaped corymb, 10–15(–20) cm tall, erect, non-bulbiliferous; peduncle ± straight, deep purple; pedicels 5–15 mm long, slender, curved downwards, dark purple, almost black, glabrous. Flowers large, single or double, 25–28 mm long, (15–) 17–20 mm in diameter at the widest point, pendent, glabrous, subtended by small succulent bracts, campanulate, globular in bud; calyx shortly tubular below; sepals 8–9 × 5 mm, free portion deltoid-triangular, fused for ± 4–5 mm, dark purple, very finely white-spotted, acute-tipped, clasping the base of the corolla tube, glabrous; corolla deep metallic purple-red, light green-infused towards lobes (tube), light green to yellow to orangey (lobes), waxy bloom absent, consisting of 4 (single flowers) to 16–20 (double flowers) variously fused petals, some variously deformed in the case of double flowers; tube 22–25 mm long, strongly bulged in the middle, campanulate, flared at the mouth; lobes ± 5–7 × 6–7 mm, ovate, apically obtuse-rounded, with a slight indentation or small tip, light green inside. Stamens inserted very low-down in corolla tube at a level ± below carpels, 8 (single flowers) or ± 6–9 with some deformed or undeveloped (double flowers), at least four exserted for 4–5 mm; filaments 25–28 mm long, thin, light yellowish green; anthers large, 2.00– 2.25 mm long, black, exserted. Pistil consisting of 4 (single flowers) or ± 6(–11–12) carpels with some malformed or undeveloped (double flowers), all diverging from about the upper level of the carpels to yield obviously separate styles; carpels 7–8 mm long, light shiny green, convergent; styles 17–18 mm long, whitish green; stigmas distinctly capitate, brownish, included; scales 2.0–2.5 × 0.75 mm, whitish green, free, linear-ribbon-like, distinctly indented above. Follicles 8–9(–12) mm long, shiny light green, brittle, grass spikelet-like when dry, enveloped in dry, dull purple-cream remains of corolla, calyx and styles persistent for a long time, remaining dull light creamy white for a long time, even when dry. Seeds not seen. Chromosome number: unknown.

Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx is regarded as consisting of two varieties, as follows:

Key to the varieties of Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx :

1a. Plants terrestrial or epiphytic, medium-sized, often sparsely branched, open shrubs; stems to 40 cm long; leaves linear to orbicular; leaf margins sometimes with indistinct crenations; flowers hardly minutely pubescent; corolla tube varying from reddish purple to light yellowish green; corolla lobes varying from light yellowish green to orangey. Distribution predominantly eastern Madagascar............................................................................................................................................................. var. porphyrocalyx

1b. Plants epiphytic, low-growing, densely branched, compact shrublets; stems 5–10 cm long; leaves oblong to linear-oblong; leaf margins throughout irregularly toothed with sometimes substantial, concolourous crenations; flowers usually densely minutely pubescent; corolla tube reddish purple; corolla lobes light yellowish green. Distribution predominantly northwestern Madagascar................................................................................................................................................................................ var. sambiranensis

1a. Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx ( Baker 1883: 142) Baillon (1885: 469) var. porphyrocalyx . Treated in Boiteau & Mannoni (1948b: 58), as ‘ Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx var. typica ’, a designation not validly published (Turland et al. 2018: Art. 24.3). In the same publication, Boiteau & Mannoni (1948b: 58), K. porphyrocalyx var. sulphurea was validly published (see the synonymy of K. porphyrocalyx , above). See Smith & Figueiredo (2019: 206). Type:—as for Kitchingia porphyrocalyx .

Description:— Plants terrestrial or epiphytic, medium-sized, of open growth. Stems up to 40 cm long. Leaves varying from near-linear to orbicular; leaf margins sometimes with indistinct crenations. Inflorescences short to elongated, usually erect, sometimes densely flowered. Flowers hardly minutely pubescent; corolla tube variable in colour, sometimes yellowish; corolla lobes variable in colour, sometimes orangey.

Flowering time:—June to November, peaking in September (southern hemisphere).

1b. Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx var. sambiranensis Humbert ex Smith & Figueiredo (2019: 206) . Type:— MADAGASCAR. Bassin supérieur du Sambirano. Forêt ombrophile sur sol siliceux: crête prés des sources du Sambirano. Corolle à tube rouge, à lobes fauves. Anthères noirâtres. [English: Upper basin of the Sambirano [River]. Ombrophilous [Rain] forest on siliceous soil: ridge near the sources of the Sambirano [River]. Corolla with [a] red tube, [and] with fawn lobes. Anthers blackish.] Altitude 1800 m, Novembre–Décembre 1937, H. Humbert 18607 (holotype P P00374213 ! [http://coldb.mnhn.fr/catalognumber/mnhn/p/p00374213]; isotype P P00374214 ! [http://coldb.mnhn. fr/catalognumber/mnhn/p/p00374214]) .

Nomenclatural note:—‘ Kalanchoe porphyrocalyx var. sambiranensis ’ Humbert ex Boiteau & Mannoni in Cactus (Paris) 17–18: 58 (1948b) was not validly published and is not a name (Turland et al. 2018: Art. 39.1).

Description:— Plants epiphytic, small, of denser, compact growth than typical variety. Stems reaching a length of 5–10 cm. Leaves consistently oblong to linear-oblong; leaf margins throughout irregularly toothed with sometimes substantial, concolourous crenations. Inflorescences short, leaning to erect, consistently sparsely flowered. Flowers densely minutely pubescent; corolla tube reddish purple throughout; corolla lobes light yellowish green.

Flowering time:—July to October, sometimes as late as early-November (southern hemisphere).