Disphyma
{{Short description|Genus of succulents}}
{{Automatic taxobox
|image = Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum.jpg
|image_caption = Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum
|display_parents = 3
|taxon = Disphyma
|authority = N.E.Br.
}}
Disphyma is a genus of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae that are native to New Zealand, Australia and southern Africa. Plants in this genus are prostrate, annual or short-lived perennial shrubs with succulent leaves and daisy-like flowers arranged singly on the ends of shoots with petal-like staminodes, many stamens and usually five styles.
Description
Plants in the genus Disphyma are prostrate, annual plants or short-lived perennials with branches that root at nodes. The leaves are arranged alternately and fused at the base, succulent and round to more or less triangular in cross-section. The flowers are usually arranged singly, sometimes in pairs or three, on the ends of branches or on short side shoots, each flower on a pedicel up to {{cvt|100|mm}} long. The perianth is tube-shaped with five sepals, two larger and leaf-like and three smaller, slightly succulent and not leaf-like. There are many petal-like, purplish staminodes in two rows and many stamens in four or five rows. The ovary is inferior and there are usually five styles. The fruit is a capsule.{{cite web |last1=Walsh |first1=Neville G. |title=Disphyma |url=https://vicflora.rbg.vic.gov.au/flora/taxon/2b758014-828d-4076-806c-120bbb6795be |publisher=Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria |access-date=17 October 2020}}{{cite web |last1=Jacobs |first1=Surrey Wilfrid Laurance |last2=Highet |first2=Jeannie |title=Genus Disphyma |url=https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&showsyn=&dist=&constat=&lvl=gn&name=Disphyma |publisher=Royal Botanic Garden Sydney |access-date=17 October 2020}}
Taxonomy
The genus Disphyma was first formally described in 1925 by N. E. Brown in The Gardeners' Chronicle.{{cite web|title=Disphyma|url= https://id.biodiversity.org.au/instance/apni/488030|publisher=APNI|access-date=17 October 2020}}{{cite web |title=Disphyma N.E.Br. |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:16167-1 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=17 October 2020}}
As at October 2020, Plants of the World Online accepts four species:
- Disphyma australe (Sol. ex Aiton) J.M.Black that is endemic to New Zealand;{{cite web |title=Disphyma australe (Sol. ex Aiton) J.M.Black |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:361625-1 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=17 October 2020}}
- Disphyma crassifolium (L.) L.Bolus that is native to Australia and the Cape Province in southern Africa;{{cite web |title=Disphyma crassifolium (L.) L.Bolus |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:361626-1 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=17 October 2020}}
- Disphyma dunsdonii L.Bolus that is endemic to the Cape Province;{{cite web |title=Disphyma dunsdonii L.Bolus |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:361627-1 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=17 October 2020}}
- Disphyma papillatum Chinnock that is endemic to the Chatham Islands on New Zealand;{{cite web |title=Disphyma papillatum Chinnock |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:16167-1 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=17 October 2020}}
Plants of the World Online also accepts two subspecies:
- Disphyma australe subsp. stricticaule Chinnock that is endemic to Kermadec Island of New Zealand;{{cite web |title=Disphyma australe subsp. stricticaule|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:874022-1 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=17 October 2020}}
- Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum (Haw.) Chinnock that is endemic to Australia and has been introduced to the South Island of New Zealand.{{cite web |title=Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum|url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:953044-1 |publisher=Plants of the World Online |access-date=17 October 2020}}
References
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