Cheiridopsis subgenus Cheiridopsis, N. E. Br.

Powell, Robyn F., Boatwright, James S., Klak, Cornelia & Magee, Anthony R., 2017, Inclusion of Ihlenfeldtia and Odontophorus in Cheiridopsis (Ruschioideae: Aizoaceae) and insights into generic and subgeneric circumscription in the Conophytum clade, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 184 (4), pp. 457-484 : 477

3.1. Cheiridopsis subgenus Cheiridopsis .

Type: C. rostrata N.E.Br.

Compact perennial shrubs, sometimes mat-forming. Leaves heterophyllous, with subsequent leaf pairs unequal along stem; surface velvety, with no epidermal elevations formed above subhypodermal idioblasts; epidermal cells forming blunt papillae; sheaths partially or fully enclosing the emerging leaf pair during dormancy. Flowers cream to yellow, rarely orange, red. Capsules with decumbent pedicels; top flat to rounded, base funnel-shaped; valve wings narrow, 1 / 3 width of valve or rarely rectangular, often narrowing in an awn distally; covering membranes prominently undulate, often with additional protrusions in subcentral position; closing bodies large, blocking at least ¾ of the locule. Seeds mostly smooth, rarely papillate.

Diagnostic characters and distribution: Cheiridopsis subgenus Cheiridopsis includes 14 species that are distinguished by their decumbent capsules ( Figs 5A , 7E ) and heterophyllous leaves. Some species ( C. meyeri , C. minor , C. namaquensis and C. peculiaris ) can be distinguished by the sheath that fully encloses the emerging leaf pair during the dormant period ( Fig. 8C ).

The species occur from the Richtersveld, southwards to Langebaan, with the centre of diversity in the Springbok-Steinkopf Region ( Fig. 6B ).

Recognized species: Cheiridopsis amabilis S.A.Hammer , C.delphinoides S.A.Hammer , C.derenbergiana Schwantes , C. gamoepensis S.A.Hammer , C. imitans L.Bolus , C. meyeri N.E.Br. , C. minor (L.Bolus) H.E.K.Hartmann , C. namaquensis (Sond.) H.E.K.Hartmann , C. pearsonii N.E.Br. , C. peculiaris N.E.Br. , C. rostrata (L.) N.E.Br. , C. schlechteri Tischer , C. turbinata L.Bolus , C. umbrosa S.A.Hammer & Desmet.

Figures

Figure 5. Character reconstruction of pedicel position and shape of capsule top in the Conophytum clade on the majorityrule consensus tree from the Bayesian inference analysis. (A) pedicel position (Character 5; Appendices 4 and 5), reconstructed in two steps coded as erect or decumbent (Fig. 7E–G); (B) the shape of the capsule top (Character 6; Appendices 4 and 5), reconstructed in one step, coded as convex to rounded (Fig. 7E, G) or flat (to centrally elevated) (Fig. 7G).

Figure 6. Number of species per quarter degree square (QDS) (Leistner & Morris, 1976) and distribution of Cheiridopsis s.l. and subgenera (as treated in the taxonomic treatment) in the Greater Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. (A) Distribution and number of species per QDS for Cheiridopsis s.l.; (B) distribution and number of species per QDS in subgenus Cheiridopsis; (C) distribution and number of species per QDS in subgenus Odontophoroides (including species of previously recognized Odontophorus); (D) distribution and number of species per QDS in subgenus Aequifoliae (including species of previously recognized Ihlenfeldtia).

Figure 7. Capsules in Conophytum and Cheiridopsis. (A) Closed simple capsule of Conophytum wettsteinii; (B) open simple capsule of C.wettsteiniishowingthe absenceof covering membranesandclosing bodies;(C)closed multilocular capsuleof Cheiridopsis denticulata; (D) open capsule of C. denticulata showing the complex internal structures, i.e. covering membranes (cm) and closing bodies (cb), indicated by the white arrows; (E) decumbent capsules of Cheiridopsis subgenus Cheiridopsis, in Cheiridopsis namaquensis; (F) erect capsule of C. denticulata with flat to centrally elevated tops as in Cheiridopsis subgenus Aequifoliae; (G) Cheiridopsis pilosula illustrating the erect capsule with rounded tops, typical of Cheiridopsis subgenus Odontophoroides.

Figure 8. Leaf and floral characters of Cheiridopsis and Conophytum. (A) New leaves of Conophytum wettsteinii breaking out of their papery sheath, with a magenta flower; (B) partial sheath enclosing the emerging leaf pair, with a magenta flower, in Cheiridopsis glomerata; (C) leaves of Cheiridopsis meyeri completely enclosed by a white papery sheath during the dormant period, indicated by the arrow; (D) leaves of Conophytum uviforme completely enclosed in a sheath during the dormant period, indicated by the arrow; (E) Cheiridopsis purpurea with the partial sheath, common to many Cheiridopsis spp. which only encloses part of the leaves during the dormant period; (F) Cheiridopsis aspera with the prominent rough leaf surface often found in subgenus Odontophoroides.