Aptenia
{{Short description|Formerly accepted genus of succulents}}
Aptenia was a small genus of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, which {{As of|2024|January|lc=yes}} was treated as a synonym of the genus Mesembryanthemum. Species formerly placed in the genus are native to southern Africa.[http://ucjeps.berkeley.edu/cgi-bin/get_IJM.pl?tid=10651 Aizoaceae.] The Jepson eFlora 2013. The genus name is from the Greek a- (not) and ptenos (winged), and refers to the wingless fruit capsules.[http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=102363 Aptenia.] Flora of North America.
Description
Species formerly placed in the genus are succulent subshrubs growing from a system of fibrous, often fleshy roots. The stems lie prostrate on the ground or may climb. The stem bases are woody, and the stems are green. The leaves are mostly oppositely arranged, but those near the inflorescences may be alternate. The leaf blades are flat, hairless, sometimes waxy, and usually heart-shaped, or occasionally lance-shaped. Flowers are solitary or grow in small, whorled clusters, usually in the leaf axils along the stem. The flower is about a centimeter wide. There are two large sepals and two smaller. The corolla contains many narrow petals in shades of pink, purple, yellow, or white, and several staminodes that look very much like the petals. The many fertile stamens at the center are white or yellow. The fruit is a capsule with four valves.
File:Aptenia cordifolia flower leaves.jpg, formerly Aptenia cordifolia]]
Taxonomy
In 2007, this genus and several others were transferred into Mesembryanthemum.Klak, C., et al. (2007). [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iapt/tax/2007/00000056/00000003/art00012 A phylogeny and new classification for Mesembryanthemoideae (Aizoaceae).] Taxon 56(3), 737-56. Two years later other authors proposed that this move be reversed.Liede-Schumann, S. and H. E. Hartmann. (2009). [http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/iapt/tax/2009/00000058/00000002/art00001 Mesembryanthemum – back to the roots?] Taxon 58(2), 345-46. {{As of|2024|January}}, Plants of the World Online continued to synonymize it with Mesembryanthemum.{{Cite POWO|title=Aptenia N.E.Br..|id=30466316-2|access-date=2024-01-08|mode=cs1}}
=Species=
Four species have been recognized:
- Aptenia cordifolia (L.f.) Schwantes → Mesembryanthemum cordifolium – heart-leaf iceplant, baby sun-rose
- Aptenia geniculiflora (L.) Bittrich ex Gerbaulet → Mesembryanthemum geniculiflorum
- Aptenia haeckeliana (A.Berger) Bittrich ex Gerbaulet → Mesembryanthemum haeckelianum
- Aptenia lancifolia L.Bolus → Mesembryanthemum lancifolium
References
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Category:Historically recognized angiosperm genera
{{Aizoaceae-stub}}