Astroloba congesta
| Astroloba congesta | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Order: | Asparagales |
| Family: | Asphodelaceae |
| Subfamily: | Asphodeloideae |
| Genus: | Astroloba |
| Species: | A. congesta
|
| Binomial name | |
| Astroloba congesta (Salm-Dyck) Uitewaal
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| Synonyms | |
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Astroloba congesta is a small succulent plant of the Astroloba genus, indigenous to the Eastern Cape, South Africa.[1]
It is often considered merely to be the eastern form of Astroloba foliolosa.[2]
Description
Astroloba congesta is a compact Astroloba species, with circa 7cm wide stems that are densely covered in sharply-pointed leaves, which sometimes grow in tiers, or in a rough spiral. The leaves are a glossy dark green in colour, concave on their upper faces, smooth, sharp with slight keels, and point upwards and outwards.
Like its closest relatives - Astroloba foliolosa and robusta, it produces cream-white flowers in the rainy season (September-January in habitat), tinged with green, on unusually short pedicels. However the inflorescence of congesta is often branched.
It is easily confused with its close relative to the west, Astroloba foliolosa, and the two species form a transition, with intermediates throughout the gradation. The two forms are similar looking and Astroloba congesta was even formally classed as a subspecies of its more widespread relative.
It can be distinguished from Astroloba foliolosa by its darker green colour, and by its larger, less compact, more spreading leaves.
Distribution
It is indigenous to the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. Here it is confined to the Districts of Albany, Cradock and Bedford. This is an area of relatively high rainfall, 300-450 mm, which falls predominantly in the summer.[3]
"Deltoidea" variety
This smaller form, from rocky areas of the Zuurberg mountains, is sometimes classed as a separate species, Astroloba deltoidea. It has smooth, rigid, shiny leaves.
Further reading
References
- ^ U. Eggli: Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Monocotyledons. Springer Science & Business Media, 2001. p.187.
- ^ Pandora Roberts Reinecke: Genus Astroloba Uitewaal (Liliaceae). UCT Department of Biological Sciences. 1965.
- ^ http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=2210-4