Aeonium
| Aeonium | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Saucer-plant (Aeonium undulatum) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Crassulaceae |
| Genus: | Aeonium Webb & Berthel. |
| Species | |
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About 35, see text |
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Aeonium (tree houseleek) is a genus of about 35 species of succulent, subtropical plants of the family Crassulaceae. Many species are popular in horticulture. The genus name comes from the ancient Greek "aionos" (ageless). While most of them are native to the Canary Islands, some are found in Madeira, Morocco, and in East Africa (for example in the Semien Mountains of Ethiopia).
Description[edit]
The succulent leaves are typically arranged on a basal stem, in a dense, spreading rosette. A feature which distinguishes this genus from many of its relatives is the manner in which the flowers bear free petals, and are divided into 6 or 12 sections. Each rosette produces a central inflorescence only once, and then dies back (though it will usually branch or offset to produce ensuing rosettes).
Low-growing Aeonium species are A. tabuliforme and A. smithii; large species include A. arboreum, A. valverdense and A. holochrysum. They are related to the genera Sempervivum, Aichryson and Monanthes, as can be seen by their similar flower and inflorescences. Recently, the genus Greenovia has been placed within Aeonium.
Distribution[edit]
Most Aeoniums are from the Canary Islands,[1]:160-173 but some are from Madeira, Morocco and East Africa (Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya) and Yemen.[2]
Some species have been introduced in California.[3]
Selected species[edit]
Images[edit]
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Aeonium tabuliforme bearing inflorescence
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Detail of Aeonium tabuliforme flower
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Aeonium arboreum 'Atropurpureum'
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Aeonium aureum
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Aeonium castello-paivae
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Aeonium decorum
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Aeonium lindleyi
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Aeonium nobile
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Aeonium simsii
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Aeonium tabuliforme
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Aeonium tabuliforme × arboreum 'Zwartkop' #2
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Aeonium undulatum
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Aeonium valverdense
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References[edit]
- ^ Bramwell, D.; Bramwell, Z. (2001). Wild flowers of the Canary Islands. Madrid, Spain: Editorial Rueda. ISBN 84-7207-129-4.
- ^ "International Crassulaceae Network: Aeonium". International Crassulaceae Network. Retrieved 19 February 2017.
- ^ "Aeonium in Flora of North America @ efloras.org". www.efloras.org. Retrieved 2016-10-15.
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Aeonium. |
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Wikispecies has information related to: Aeonium |
- R. Nyffeler, "Aeonium", in Urs Eggli, ed. Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Crassulaceae (Springer, 2003) ISBN 3-540-41965-9
