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Home Home » GENERA C » Crassula » Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii
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Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii

Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii
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  • Crassula alba var. parvisepala
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. alpestris
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. alpestris branching near the top
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. alpestris flower
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. alpestris flowers fading
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. alpestris in its sandy cloak
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. alpestris sepal fringes
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. alpestris yesterday, today and tomorrow
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii dry, black flowers
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii flowering stem
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii flowers
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii inflorescence upper part
  • Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii old stem flower clusters
  • Crassula arborescens
  • Crassula arborescens back-up plan
  • Crassula arborescens leaf close-up

Image information

Description

Crassula alpestris subsp. massonii, the alpine stonecrop or sand-coated crassula, is a dwarf succulent growing erect branches reaching 10 cm to 15 cm in height when flowering.

The leaves are slightly spaced lower down on the flower stems below the inflorescence. They can also be seen compactly together on the young plant in the sand next to the flowering one.

The triangular, decussate leaves form four arrays of leaves neatly stacked like book leaves, fused at their bases. The blade margins collect some blown sand from the surroundings, forming a protective covering. Maybe the small white cilia along the leaf margins also contribute to capturing grains of sand.

The subspecies distribution is small, restricted in the Western Cape to parts of the area between Clanwilliam and Laingsburg. The photo was taken in the Biedouw Valley during September.

The habitat is sandy and gravelly slopes and plateaus in succulent Karoo vegetation. The subspecies is considered rare but its population stable early in the twenty first century (Frandsen, 2017; Manning and Goldblatt, 1997; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).

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165
Photographer
Thabo Maphisa
Author
Ivan Latti
 
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