Trichodiadema barbatum explained

Trichodiadema barbatum is succulent plant of the genus Trichodiadema, native to the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa.^[1]

Description

A small, gracile, erect-to-decumbent plant, with long, slender, fragile, stick-like branches. The internodes are minutely papillate; On young branches the internodes are green, becoming grey on older branches.^[2]

The grey-green leaves are slightly triangular in cross-section, and have large bladder cells on their leaf-surface. Bristles (5-7) emerge from the dark tip of the leaf.

The solitary, bright pink-to-purple flowers are born on long pedicels. They have petals with slightly notched apices, small pale filamentous staminodes, and yellow anthers.

The fruit capsule is 5-locular, like that of Trichodiadema burgeri (but unlike some other species in the genus, such as Trichodiadema densum and Trichodiadema marlothii.^{[3] [4]}

It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.^[5]

Notes and References

1. http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=165-3 SANBI Red List page
2. H.E.K. Hartmann. (2017). Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae F-Z. Springer Verlag
3. I.M. Niesler (2017). Trichodiadema Ruschioideae. In: Hartmann H. (eds) Aizoaceae. Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg: 341
4. H.E.K. Hartmann and I.M. Niesler. (2013). A new morphological study of the genus Trichodiadema (Aizoaceae) permits the description of a new subgenus, t. subg. Gemiclausa. Bradleya 31:58-75.
5. Web site: Trichodiadema barbatum . The Royal Horticultural Society . 29 November 2020 .