크라술라 디켑터-Crassula deceptor Schönland & Baker f.

과명	Crassulaceae (돌나물과)	속명	Crassula (대구돌나물속)
전체학명	[정명] Crassula deceptor Schönland & Baker f.	추천명	크라술라 디켑터

추천명변경: 디켑터크라술라 -> 크라술라 디켑터

Crassula deceptor is a succulent plant native to South Africa and Namibia. This species occurs from southern Namibia, to as far south as the town of Vanrhynsdorp in South Africa.

The leaves of this variable species are produced in four compact ranks, and have hard papillae.

Crassula deceptor - Wikipedia

Several crassulas are attractive mimicry plants, and Crassula deceptor is said to owe its name deceptor, which means impostor or pretender, to the fact that the grey-green rosettes of succulent leaves resemble small, pointed stones.

Description

Crassula deceptor is a dwarf, perennial succulent which, when mature, reaches up to 80 mm tall. It is a very variable species in shape and size. Its leaves are fleshy, grey-green and are primarily ovate, without stalks and can ultimately grow up to 15 mm long and 15 mm wide. The stem has short internodes and the leaves are densely packed, resulting in compacted, 4-angled rows to a height of about 70 to 150 mm tall and 25 mm in diameter.

The inflorescence, with a sweet scent, is a cyme, a lax, rounded cluster of small flowers. The flower sepals have minimal hairs (cilia), are oblong to triangular and are about 1.5 mm long. The flower petals are 2-2.5 mm long, cream to pinkish, fading to brown. The stamens have brown anthers. This succulent flowers in mid to late summer (Jan. to Mar.) in habitat but in cultivation it frequently flowers in winter and it may flower at any time of the year, when the plant is provided with appropriate growing conditions.

Conservation Status

According to the Red List of South African plants, Crassula deceptor is not considered threatened and is assessed as Least Concern (LC).

Distribution and habitat

Crassula deceptor is native to southwestern Namibia and South Africa, where it occurs in the Northern Cape province, from Bushmanland as far east as Kakamas, southwards through Namaqualand to Vanrhynsdorp. Its natural habitation is slopes or rock outcrops, often gravelly, quartz outcrops, in the Succulent Karoo Biome, which is a semi-desert natural region of southern Africa, described by extremes of heat, cold and low annual rainfall.

Derivation of name and historical aspects

This species was found in 1897 by E.G. Alston, the person after whom the species Adromischus alstonii is named, and was described by Schönland & Baker in 1902. The genus name Crassula is said to come from the Latin word crassus, which means ‘fat’ and all crassulas are plants with high vegetative vigour. As mentioned previously, the species name means ‘impostor’ or ‘pretender’ referring to how this species mimics rocks in its habitat.

Crassula deceptor is the starting species in the creation of various hybrids, such as Crassula cv. Dorothy, Crassula cv. Frosty and Crassula cv. Moonglow.

Ecology

Plants that mimic stones or try to blend into their habitat are trying to avoid being seen by the creatures that would eat them; it is a defensive strategy. Their succulent leaves store water, allowing the plant to survive in its arid habitat where rainfall is scarce and infrequent. The pale coloured leaves reflect light and help keep the plant cooler, prevening heat damage from exposure to the sun.

Crassula deceptor | PlantZAfrica (sanbi.org)

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