Kalanchoe subg. Calophygia Descoings (2006: 24) emend. Gideon F.Sm.

Smith, Gideon F., 2023, The ‘ woody clade’ in Kalanchoe: reinstatement and amendment of K. subg. Calophygia (Crassulaceae subfam. Kalanchooideae) published by Bernard Marie Descoings in 2006, Phytotaxa 616 (2), pp. 113-127 : 118

Kalanchoe subg. Calophygia Descoings (2006: 24) emend. Gideon F.Sm.

Type:— Kalanchoe arborescens Humbert (1933: 163) , designated by Descoings (2006: 24).

Designation not validly published:—“ Kalanchoe [infragen. unranked, as “§”] Lanigerae ” Boiteau (1947: 9), nom. inval. ( Turland et al. 2018: Art 39.1). See Boiteau & Allorge-Boiteau (1995: 16 [page unnumbered], 138–172, as Groupe X) and Allorge-Boiteau (1995, 1996: 141).

Diagnosis:—Taxa included in K. subg. Calophygia are woody, generally multi-branched, low-growing, pseudo-rosulate to shrubby or arborescent perennials of which, with a few notable exceptions, virtually all external surfaces are variously covered by a tomentum consisting of glandular or stellate hairs or minute scales. Taxa do not produce leaf-borne bulbils, but will rarely bear bulbils on inflorescences post-anthesis. Vegetative reproduction from parts of leaves and sometimes fibrous roots is common. Inflorescences are borne terminally or, rarely, laterally. Flowers are brightly or dull coloured and carried multi-directional to rarely erect at anthesis. Calyces are prominent, sometimes distinctly succulent and remain on dry inflorescences for a long time, so facilitating episodic seed release from the follicles in some cases. Corollas vary from flimsy to succulent. Corolla tubes are as long as or longer than the corolla lobes, and usually exceed the free sepal segments in length. Corolla lobes are generally slightly to distinctly recurved. Nectar scales are generally wider than long.

Description:—Perennial shrubs or small trees, sparsely to densely multi-branched, usually with haphazardly rounded canopies, (rarely) small to medium-sized to robust succulents. Stem simple or branched, often thick, to 150 mm in diameter, ± straight, twisted, or variously curved, surface tomentose or glabrous, sometimes conspicuously covered by rigid, sharp projections left by expanding, later contracting, prominent leaf scars; bark if present light yellowish or brownish grey, flaking, flimsy, usually shed in longitudinal strips. Leaves few to many, usually towards terminal ⅔–½ of branches if shrubby or arborescent, shed lower down, otherwise often long-lasting, well or poorly attached to stem, erect to erectly spreading to spreading-recurved, variously flexed from vertical and horizontal planes, succulent, glabrous to densely pubescent with glandular or stellate hairs or minute scales, petiolate or sessile, ± flattened above and below to ± cylindrical, dull yellowish green to glaucous to grey to bright light to bright mid-green; petiole to 100 mm long if present, usually concolourous with leaf blade, succulent; blade variable in shape, narrowly cylindrical to elongated-triangular, often somewhat to distinctly deltoid, flat to concave to irregularly folded lengthwise, succulent; base cuneate to distinctly peltate; apex rounded-obtuse or truncate; margins entire to irregularly toothed. Inflorescence terminal or lateral, sparsely or densely branched, many-flowered, erect to gracefully curved sideways and upwards; pedicels short. Flowers slanted in various directions at anthesis to ± erect, often densely pubescent, sometimes minutely so, more rarely smooth, creamy to greenish pink to pale yellow to yellowish green with various reddish purple mottling, to bright yellow or intensely red; calyx often prominent, sometimes distinctly succulent, persistent on dry inflorescences for a long time, with or lacking reddish purple infusion; sepals 4, free or distinctly fused into prominent tube, sometimes substantially obscuring corolla tube; corolla tube often ± quadrangular-urceolate, tapering to mouth, 4-angled, as long as or longer than corolla lobes, exceeding free sepal segments in length; corolla lobes small or large, barely to strongly recurved, apiculate, abaxially often substantially hairy, adaxially less so, to glabrous. Stamens usually inserted in middle of corolla tube or higher up, included or exserted. Pistil consisting of 4 carpels; nectar scales generally wider than long. Follicles often long-lasting post-flowering, sometimes drying hard-brittle. Seeds small, dark brown to black, rectangular to slightly banana-shape-curved, tapering to both ends. Chromosome number: x = 18; polyploids have been reported in the subgenus ( Uhl 1948: 700, Smith 2022e: 161–162, 172–173).

Sectional classification:— Kalanchoe [subg. Calophygia] sect. Stellatopilosae ( Berger 1930: 404) Smith (2020d: 234), K. sect. Rhombopilosae Smith (2023d: 24), and K. sect. Trichanthae Smith (2023e) are thus far the only sectional names recognised at that rank for selections of taxa included in K. subg. Calophygia ( Table 1 ).