Conophytum stephanii subs. helmutii (Lavis) S.A.Hammer

국표에 없다.

Conophytum stephanii subsp. helmutii (Lavis) S.A.Hammer

First published in Illustr. Handb. Succ. Pl.: Aizoaceae A-E: 168 (2002 publ. 2001)

This subspecies is accepted

The native range of this subspecies is W. Cape Prov. It is a succulent subshrub and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Conophytum stephanii subsp. helmutii (Lavis) S.A.Hammer | Plants of the World Online | Kew Science

Continuing with the theme of disjunct populations, the next cono to be discussed is a form of C. stephanii ssp. helmutii from the base of the Koeriesberg (Khurisberg), about 25km north-east of Springbok. This was first found by Anthony Mitchell in the 1980s but he did not see the flowers or bring it into cultivation, so he was not aware which species it was. The population was rediscovered by Philip Desmet around 2005 and I received a few seeds under his number PD 3638 from which the plants shown in the photo were grown. The nearest hitherto-known populations of C. stephanii ssp. helmutii are at Eenriet (15km north-east of Steinkopf) and hence about 40km distant. This constitutes a significant range extension for the species. The plants tend to be rather slow-growing compared to other stephanii forms and my largest examples only have about 15 heads after 7 years. Looking at the photo, one is immediately struck by the purple-brown colour of the bodies. Most stephanii ecotypes are green, perhaps with some purple colouration around the sides, so this makes it rather distinctive. Such colouration can be seen in two other section Barbata taxa: C. pubicalyx and most particularly C. depressum ssp. perdurans; both of which can be found in an arc to the south and east of Koeriesberg. In fact, Steve Hammer has told me that there is a population of perdurans that is just a couple of kilometres from the berg. PD 3638 therefore seems to be an ecotype from the area where helmutii meets perdurans and it is tempting to suggest that it is intermediate between the two species. The flower colour of Eenriet stephanii and perdurans is the same copper-orange so no clues from that feature. The bodies of PD 3638 tend to be wider than tall, but do not have the flatness of perdurans. Most significantly, the hairs (trichomes) on stephanii stand out from the body but they tend to lie over the body in perdurans; PD 3638 has them standing out. I am therefore happy to include this local form within C. stephanii ssp. helmutii but there might be some introgression from perdurans with regards to the body colour.

Terry Smale (smale-conophytum.co.uk)

 

https://youtu.be/6KN4WZgeNUU?t=2786