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Glottiphytllum parvifolium SB651 Brandrivier, LK
The
flowers are long-lived, large, golden
yellow and very showy.
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Description: Nice freely flowering
dwarf, compact species (a.k.a. “little leaf glottiphyllum”)
with small branching stems that form a mat of fleshy leaves. The bright
yellow flowers look like dandelions. It will slowly forms mats. It
is dormant in high summer heat, and dormant in the darkness of a cold
winter, but otherwise happy to grow whenever it is watered. Given
insufficient light and too much water, they grow into great sprawling
masses of fat, bright green leaves. Given a very bright position, the
leaves are dark green, almost black at times, with red and purple. There
are indeed marked differences in sizes of leaf and flowers in plants
from different population and also the growing condition (especially sun
exposure and water availability) determine conspicuous differences in
habit of cultivate specimens.
Stem: Very short.
Rosettes: With three pairs of leaves arranged cross-wise (placed
at right-angles). Individual rosettes about 5- 8 cm in diameter.
Leaves: Short thin, not at all tongue-shaped and not dotted,
bright dark green with slightly pointed tips, erect (almost terete), in
pairs, not widened at the base, slightly decussate, rather round about
to 40-60 mm long and about 5-10 mm broad, and nearly as thick. In
full sun they may assume a purplish colouring.
Blooming season (Europe): Autumn.
Seeds: 1,3-1,4 long x 1,1 mm broad.
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Family: Mesebrianthemaceae (Aizoaceae)
Scientific name: Glottiphyllum parvifolium
L. bolus 1931
Origin: South Africa (
Ladismith, Laingsburg, Prince Albert, West
Cape)
Habitat: Grows on sandstone outcrops often
in flat ground under bushes or in
open. Rainfall in their native areas is between 100 and 200 mm,
especially in March and November. Some plant
in habitat have scars or burst in their skins, just like they do at
home.
Conservation status: Listed in
CITES appendix 2.
Common Names include: Tounge-Leaf
Etymology: The genus name is from the
ancient Greek
"γλωττίς" (glottis)
, Tongue, and
"φύλλον" (Phyllon),
leaf, The name implies "shaped as a tongue" .
Synonyms:
- Glottiphyllum surrectum (Haworth)
L. Bolus
- Mesebrianthemum surrectum, Haw. 1821
- Glottiphyllum rubrostigma L.Bolus
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Cultivation: The
plants in this genus represent some of the more easily cultivated
succulent species. Their main growth period is in late winter and were
heading for spring-summer dormancy, but they do best with at least a
little water all year. Requires little water otherwise their epidermis
breaks (resulting in unsightly scars). Water moderately from the middle
of summer to the end of winter, and keep the compost almost dry when the
plants are dormant. Water minimally in spring and summer, only when the
plant starts shrivelling (, but they will generally grow even in summer
if given water) In areas prone to frost, grow in an intermediate
greenhouse or conservatory, in pots of cactus compost, obtainable from
good garden centres. Keep cool and shaded in summer, but provide maximum
light the rest of the year. However there are two ways to grow
glottiphyllums: The first is to let nature take her course, which means
giving them large pots and copious water; they will burgeon into
enormous masses of glistening green leaves. The other is to starve them
into svelteness by hot summer droughts, small pots, and firm loam. The
results can be very attractive. In any case it is best to treat them as
late winter growers. Soft leaves mean easy to damage. May be susceptible
to mealybugs.
Propagation: Seeds or
cuttings. Seeds can be sown in early to mid-spring and germinated in
heated humid environment. Alternatively, use stem cuttings taken towards
the end of summer in an heated propagating case (15-21°C) Cuttings root
easily and remain true to the species, while seeds tend to hybridize.
Note: The 50 or so species of
this South African genus of succulents are so similar that many may be
hybrids.
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