Ceraria namaquensis

Ceraria namaquensis, with the common names Namaqua porkbush and Namaqua portulacaria, is a species of succulent shrub, native to the border between South Africa and Namibia.[1] [2] [3]

Ceraria namaquensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
Eudicots
(unranked):
Core eudicots
Order:
Caryophyllales
Family:
Didiereaceae
Genus:
Ceraria
Species:
C. namaquensis
Binomial name
Ceraria namaquensis
(Sond.) H.Pearson & Stephens
Synonyms
  • Portulacaria namaquensis Sond.
  • Ceraria gariepina H.Pearson & Stephens

The plant's current name is Portulacaria namaquensis, due to recent phylogenetic studies have shown that it is in fact located within the genus Portulacaria.[4]

Its closest relative is the species Portulacaria armiana[4][5]

Distribution

The natural habitat of this species extends along the Orange River valley, along the border between Namibia and South Africa. It has also been recorded near the coast slightly further north in Namibia.[6]

This is an extremely arid, winter-rainfall area. In cultivation, it requires extremely well-drained soil, and is usually grown grafted onto a root-stock of the more resilient Portulacaria afra.

Description
Detail of the distinctive leaves

It reaches heights of 1.3 to 1.8 meters, and typically has small, ovoid, club-shaped leaves.

These succulent leaves are deciduous, and densely coat its stems. The stems are stout and grow upwards, forking. They are very slow-growing. Its flowers are usually unisexual.

References
  1. "Ceraria namaquensis (Sond.) H.Pearson & Stephens — The Plant List". www.theplantlist.org. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  2. "Ceraria namaquensis - Overview - Encyclopedia of Life". Encyclopedia of Life. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  3. JSTOR entry: Ceraria namaquensis
  4. P.Bruyns, M.Oliveira-Neto, G.F. Melo de Pinna, C.Klak: Phylogenetic relationships in the Didiereaceae with special reference to subfamily Portulacarioideae. Taxon 63 (5). October 2014. 1053-1064.
  5. "Ceraria namaquensis". www.cactus-art.biz. Retrieved 2017-08-02.
  6. Annals of the South African Museum 9: 33. 1912. (Ann. S. African Mus.)
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