Pseudolithos Explained

Pseudolithos is a genus of succulent flowering plants of the family Apocynaceae, indigenous to arid areas of Somalia, Yemen and Oman.

Description and naming

The plants were first described as a genus in 1965; the name "Pseudo-lithos" means "false-stone" and refers to their pebble-like appearance. It was originally proposed as Lithocaulon earlier in 1956, but this name was already in use for a genus of fossil algae.^[1] All species in this genus are highly succulent, small in size, and exhibit tessellation on their stems' surface. Their small flowers appear on the spherical body's surface.^{[2] [3]}

Species ^[4]

1. Pseudolithos caput-viperae Lavranos - Somalia
2. Pseudolithos cubiformis (P.R.O. Bally) P.R.O. Bally - N Somalia
3. Pseudolithos dodsonianus (Lavranos) Bruyns & Meve - Somalia & Oman
4. Pseudolithos gigas Dioli - Eastern Ethiopia
5. Pseudolithos harardheranus Dioli - Somalia
6. Pseudolithos horwoodii P.R.O. Bally & Lavranos - Somalia
7. Pseudolithos mccoyi Lavranos - Yemen & Oman
8. Pseudolithos migiurtinus (Chiov.) P.R.O. Bally - S + C Somalia
9. Pseudolithos sphaericus (P.R.O. Bally) P.R.O. Bally - N Somalia

Taxonomy

Phylogenetic studies have shown the genus to be monophyletic, and most closely related to the widespread Caralluma stapeliads of North Africa. Marginally more distantly related is a sister branch comprising the genera Echidnopsis and Rhytidocaulon.^[5]

External links

• Dave's Garden
• Columbus Cactus Club photos

Notes and References

1. Bally . P. R. O. . Horwood . F. K. . Lavranos . J. J. . 1975 . A Monograph of the Genera Pseudolithos and Whitesloanea . The National Cactus and Succulent Journal . 30 . 2 . 31–36 . 42791977 . 0027-8858.
2. Web site: Tropicos - Name - Pseudolithos P.R.O. Bally. tropicos.org.
3. Web site: Notes Pseudolithos - Quaqua. asclepiad-exhibition.org.
4. 326033-2 . Pseudolithos .
5. P. Bruyns, C. Klak, P. Hanacek: Evolution of the stapeliads (Apocynaceae-Asclepiadoideae) - repeated major radiation across Africa in an Old World group. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 2014. v. 77, no. 1, p. 251--263. ISSN 1055-7903.