Xerophyte

Leaves

Rudiment broadly triangular to heart-shaped, about 1- .5 mm long, stiff.

Description

Echidnopsis malumSN|33815]]SN|33815]] is a small succulent with grey-green or brownish stems, up to 15 cm long or sometimes more, the angles rather indistinctly divided into low rectangular tubercles. The flowers are shaped like an urn, held upright, depressed at the apex and with a pentagonal opening about 4 mm wide. Outside bright green with red streaks, inside dark purple-red and in lower and upper parts with long white hairs, the middle portion somewhat tuberculate. The transverse wrinkling of the corolla-tube is also remarkable, being more pronounced than in any other species. The corolla-lobes are triangular-ovate, about 4 mm long, very fleshy.

Inflorescences

1-flowered. Pedicel 10-15 mm, and 1.5 mm thick covered with papillae. Sepals lanceolate, 2-3 mm long, papillose.

Taxonomy

Because of its peculiar stem and flower morphology, some authors prefer a classification of this species in the monotypic genus Pseudopectinaria, However Bruyns (1988) included the genus Pseudopectinaria (P. malum) in Echidnopsis, but the genus was resurrected again by Plowes in 1993. Lavranos (2006) upholds the idea of a genus Pseudopectinaria, emphasizing the amazing ‘‘lobster pot corolla’’and stem characteristics.

Note

The specific name refers to its peculiar flowers resembling tiny apples (Malus is the genus of apples).Stems. Cylindrical, 5- to 6-ribbed, grey-green, dark grey-green or brownish, trailing along the ground, 3-20 cm long, 8-10 mm thick, the angles laterally compressed and rather indistinctly divided into low rectangular tubercles.Tubercles. Narrow, elongate.

Flowers

Erect, fleshy. Corolla globose-urceolate, 14-25 long, 18-22 mm in diameter, outer side bright green with red streaks, covered with papillae, inner side dark purple, with many small wrinkles, and white to purple hairs, 1-1.5 mm long. Corolla tube occupying the whole length of the corolla, with a circular opening on the very tip. corolla-lobes triangular, purple, pointing inwards, apically united, 4 x 4 mm. Corona 2-seriate, red, 3.5-5 mm, globose or shaped like an urn, with a circular opening and a recurved toothed margin, inside hairy. Outer corona-lobes shortly deltoid, golden yellow, developed from the base of the urn, lying down on the anther's base. P