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Crassothonna clavifolia

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Crassothonna clavifolia
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Crassothonna
Species:
C. clavifolia
Binomial name
Crassothonna clavifolia
(Marloth) B.Nord.

Crassothonna clavifolia (previously Othonna clavifolia) is a species of flowering plant in the family Asteraceae. It is found only in Namibia. Its natural habitat is rocky areas. It is threatened by habitat loss.

Description

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This species is a low-growing succulent with grey, trailing branches and squat, cylindrical or barrel-like leaves.[2] The yellow, daisy-like flowers grow on long stalks.[2] The specific epithet, clavifolia, is from the Latin words clava meaning a club and folia meaning leaves, referring to the club-shape of the leaves.

Taxonomy

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This species was described by Hermann Wilhelm Rudolf Marloth in 1910[3] as Othonna clavifolia, however, the genus was changed from Othonna by Nordenstam et al., who erected the new genus Crassothonna for a distinct clade of Othonna species.[4] The new name for this species is therefore Crassothonna clavifolia (Marloth) B.Nord.

Distribution and habitat

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This species is found from the northwest of the Richtersveld where the sandveld meets the Gariep River towards the southern Namibian coast.[2] This succulent is found in sandy deserts sometimes growing among rocks.[2]

Threats and cultivation

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The species was classified in 2004 by the IUCN as Least Concern,[1] although recent concern has been expressed about commercial looting of this plant as part of the succulent plant market.[5][6]

References

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  1. ^ a b Craven, P. (2004-04-30). "Crassothonna clavifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Retrieved 2023-04-01.
  2. ^ a b c d Latti, Ivan. "Crassothonna clavifolia". Operation Wildflower. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  3. ^ Marloth, R. (January 1910). "SOME NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SUCCULENTS. Part III". Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa. 2 (1): 33–39. doi:10.1080/00359191009519359. ISSN 0035-919X.
  4. ^ Nordenstam, Bertil (2012). "Crassothonna B. Nord., a new African genus of succulent Compositae-Senecioneae". Compositae Newsletter. 50: 70–77.
  5. ^ Frandsen, Robin (2017). Succulents of Southern Africa. Johannesburg, South Africa: Honeyguide Publications. ISBN 9780620749558.
  6. ^ Grenier, Florent (2019). Secrets of Namaqualand Succulents. self-published. ISBN 9791069933095.