Portulacaria namaquensis Sond.

국표에 없다.

Origin and Habitat: Ceraria namaquensis has a fairly widespread habitat in South Africa (Little Namaqualand) and Namibia (Richtersveld, Bushmanland and Gordonia).
Habitat and ecology: Desert, Nama Karoo, Succulent Karoo. This is an extremely arid, winter-rainfall area. Ceraria namaquensis grows in open shrubland together with Euphorbia virosa on rocky outcrops, mainly rather strongly weathered gneiss as well as small sparsely scattered quartzitic outcrops. This species has tiny leaves to combat moisture loss through transpiration. These leaves drop off altogether during summer when evaporation is at its greatest and the plant enters a dormant stage. It is widespread, common and not in danger of extinction.

Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Namaqua porkbush, Namaqualand Ceraria, False Portulacaria
AFRIKAANS (Afrikaans): Hotnotsriem, Wolftoon, Nama spekboom

Description: Ceraria namaquensis is a waxy, fleshy and very slow growing, woody stemmed desert shrub or small tree. It grow 1.3 to 1.8 (-5) m high and presents a unique appearance. The stems are stout and grow upwards, forking and are covered by many short, spiky semi-deciduous, succulent leaves. Profusion of small pink flowers (male and female on different plants) with reflexed petals are seen in spring. The occurrence of short shoots (brachyblasts) tcreated some resemblance to a species of Alluaudia (Didiereaceae) of Madagascar.

Derivation of generic name: The generic name is based on the Greek "cera", meaning "a little horn", possibly in allusion to the forked and somewhat horn-like branches of Ceraria namaquensis.
Stems: Branches ascending, rather thick, bark smooth silver-grey, to brown, the younger branches pale greyish-green to almost creamy-white with a papery cortex and dichotomous, the ultimate as thick as a goose-quill, with transverse oval scars arranged in 4-16 vertical rows. The long upright brancehs bears distinctive, very reduced lateral side branches (brachyblasts) with hardly more than slightly raised black, almost pustular patches scattered all along the stems.
Leaves: Ovoid simple, paired, groups or fascicled, minute, fleshy, narrow, ovoid, club-shaped often almost cylindrical, green or grey-green 4 to 8 mm long and not more than 2 mm wide and sessile. The leaves are produced on short shoots (brachyblasts) and densely coat the stems. The ceraria loses its leaves during the summer drought in the wild but in cultivation seems to retain its leaves year round, and a certain degree of growth.
Flowers: Small, ethereal and attractive, in short, few-flowered, axillary sprays 3-4 cm long, pale pink to deep pink, plant dioecious (sexes separate but apparently on the same plant ). Peduncles 13-17 mm long, angular, unbranched. Pedicels involucrated by some minute ovate bracts, about 4 mm long, solitary or few. Calyx 2-phyllous, three times shorter than the 5 rose-colored, obovate, near 2 mm long star-like petals. Nale flowers with 5 stamens; filaments linear. Anthers oblong, emarginate at both ends,ovary 3-angled butstigma absent. Female flowers with 3-angled ovate ovary. Style short, with 2 or 3 branches, stamens 5, sterile.

Portulacaria namaquensis (llifle.com)

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