Tridentea
Tridentea gemmiflora
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Ceropegieae
Genus: Tridentea
Haw.

Tridentea is a genus of succulent plant in the family Apocynaceae, endemic to southern Africa.[1][2][3]

Name and history

Stem specimen showing leaf remnants and flower stem

Tridentea was first described as a genus in 1812, and its name refers to the three "teeth" on each interstaminal segment of its flower ("tri-" = three; "dentis" = teeth). It was subsequently split, and the genus Tromotriche was created for the ten species which were separated.

Description

Vegetative features

Tridentea stems are typically smooth, soft and appear as roughly four-edged in cross section. The four angles are marked by rows of low tubercle mounds. In young growth, each tubercle bears a small splayed leaf-remnant. These fall off with time though. Each leaf remnant is always surrounded by several minute, fat hairs.

Floral features

Tridentea flowers are flattened, star-shaped, and usually brightly coloured. The most common colouring is a mixed mottling of greenish-yellow with purple. Their inside is usually densely papillate. Flowers appear on minute inflorescences, and each stem bears only one inflorescence, from the stem base.

Species[4]
  1. Tridentea aperta (Masson) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  2. Tridentea choanantha (Lavranos & Harry Hall) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  3. Tridentea dwequensis (C.A. Lückh.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  4. Tridentea gemmiflora (Masson) Haw. - southern Africa
  5. Tridentea herrei (Nel) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  6. Tridentea jucunda (N.E. Br.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  7. Tridentea longii (C.A. Lückh.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  8. Tridentea longipes (C.A. Lückh.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  9. Tridentea marientalensis (Nel) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  10. Tridentea pachyrrhiza (Dinter) L.C.Leach - southern Africa
  11. Tridentea parvipuncta (N.E. Br.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  12. Tridentea peculiaris (C.A. Lückh.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  13. Tridentea pedunculata (Masson) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  14. Tridentea ruschiana (Dinter) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  15. Tridentea umdausensis (Nel) L.C. Leach - southern Africa
  16. Tridentea virescens (N.E. Br.) L.C. Leach
formerly included

Tridentea baylissii, syn of Tromotriche baylissii

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tridentea.
  1. ^ Tropicos
  2. ^ Gibbs Russell, G. E., W. G. M. Welman, E. Retief, K. L. Immelman, G. Germishuizen, B. J. Pienaar, M. Van Wyk & A. Nicholas. 1987. List of species of southern African plants. Memoirs of the Botanical Survey of South Africa 2(1–2): 1–152(pt. 1), 1–270(pt. 2).
  3. ^ Leach, Leslie Charles. 1978. Transactions of the Rhodesia Scientific Association 59(1): 3-5
  4. ^ The Plant List, Tridentea


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