Curio talinoides explained

Curio talinoides, syn. Senecio mandraliscae, also known as blue straws, blue chalksticks, dassieharpuis, or narrow-leaf chalk sticks, is a succulent plant of the family Asteraceae that is native to South Africa.^[1] The origin of this plant is dubious and it may be a hybrid.^[2]

Description

The bluest of the curio plants, it is about 50 to 70 cm tall with 4.5-9.5 cm long leaves that are thickly and alternately arranged, jammed on the stems, and are set about 0.3-0.5 cm aside. The leaves are linear, rising, sickle shaped and would be narrow at both ends.

Unlike the similar looking Curio repens, its leaves are much narrower and elongated.^[3] Curio repens is also easily distinguished by its shorter, often boat-shaped leaves.^[4] It is also easily confused with Curio ficoides, which has a similar growth habit. However, the leaves of C. talinoides are rounded-cylindrical in cross section. In contrast, the leaves of C. ficoides are usually somewhat knife-like, flattened laterally.^[5]

A hybrid of this and 'repens', known as Senecio 'Trident Blue' exists.

Subspecies and cultivars

• Senecio talinoides (DC.) Sch.Bip.: (subsp. talinoides) has finer texture
• Senecio talinoides subsp. aizoides (DC.) G.D.Rowley: has 2-8 capitula per inflorescence
• Senecio talinoides subsp. chordifolius (Hook.f.) G.D.Rowley: has the longest leaves and is more droopy
• Senecio talinoides f. cristatus: has a crested form.
• Senecio talinoides subsp. cylindricus (A.Berger) G.D.Rowley: has cylindrical leaves
• Senecio talinoides subsp. mandraliscae (Tineo) G.D.Rowley: has short spindle-like leaves 5–8 mm (0.2-0.3 in) as long as wide, later elongating.

Notes and References

1. http://grassworld.myspecies.info/sites/grassworld.myspecies.info/files/tdwg_geo2.pdf 2001. TDGW – World Geographical Scheme for Recording Plant Distributions, 2nd Edition
2. http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUCCULENTS/Family/Asteraceae/18206/Curio_talinoides_var._mandraliscae Curio talinoides var. mandraliscae (Tineo) P.V.Heath
3. http://pza.sanbi.org/curio-talinoides Curio talinoides (DC.) P.V.Heath
4. https://worldofsucculents.com/curio-talinoides-narrow-leaf-chalk-sticks/ Curio talinoides
5. G.Rowley (1994). Succulent Compositae: A Grower's Guide to the Succulent Species of Senecio & Othonna. Strawberry Press., 9780912647128