Pleiospilos nelii

Pleiospilos nelii, the split rock, splitrock or living granite,[1] is a species of flowering plant in the family Aizoaceae, native to South Africa. It grows in semi-arid areas with rainfall of between 150mm and 300mm, in the Karoo of South Africa.[2]

Pleiospilos nelii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Aizoaceae
Genus: Pleiospilos
Species:
P. nelii
Binomial name
Pleiospilos nelii
Synonyms
  • Pleiospilos pedunculatus L.Bolus (1930)
  • Pleiospilos tricolor N.E.Br. (1930)

Etymology

The species epithet nelii honours the South African botanist Gert Cornelius Nel. The common name "split rock" refers to the appearance of the plant's leaves.[3]

Description

Pleiospilos nelii is a succulent perennial which can reach a height of 5–8 cm (2–3 in) and a diameter of about 10 cm (4 in). This very short-stemmed, nearly stemless plant has one or more pairs of opposite, almost hemispherical, grey-green or brownish leaves. The surface of the leaves has many small dark spots. A new pair of leaves is produced each year, replacing an older pair. This plant closely resembles a small cracked rock (hence the common name), an appearance which may have evolved as a defence against herbivory. The superficially daisy-like flowers are yellow-orange, 6–7.5 cm (2–3 in) across, and emerge from the plant's apical bud. The flowers are large in relation to the size of the plant. Each flower opens in the afternoon and closes at sunset, over a bloom period of several days.[4]

Cultivation

P. nelii is one of several plants cultivated for their rocklike appearance. They are sometimes collectively called mesembs.[5] In temperate regions it is grown under glass for protection from excessive rain and hard freezes. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.[6][7]

  • Plants with roots
    Plants with roots

References
  1. "Stone Plant (Pleiospilos spp.) - Plants | Candide Gardening". Candide. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
  2. "Pleiospilos nelii". Encyclopedia of Succulents. Llife. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  3. "Pleiospilos nelii".
  4. RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
  5. "The New Mastering the Art of Growing Mesembs by Steven Hammer". files.nyu.edu. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11.
  6. "RHS Plant Selector - Pleiospilos nelii ". Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  7. "AGM Plants - Ornamental" (PDF). Royal Horticultural Society. July 2017. p. 80. Retrieved 7 May 2018.

Bibliography
  1. AFPD. 2008. African Flowering Plants Database - Base de Donnees des Plantes a Fleurs D'Afrique.
  2. Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. Welman, E. Reitief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. v. Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
  3. Fl. Pl. Africa 47: t.1865B (1983).
  4. Bot. Jahrb. Syst. 106: 475 (1986).
  5. Il. Handbook succulent plants: Aizoaceae F-Z : 220 (2001).
  6. Aloe 43[2&3]: 31 (2006).


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