Curio ficoides

Curio ficoides, syn. Senecio ficoides, also known as skyscraper Senecio and Mount Everest Senecio, is a species of succulent plant, in the genus Curio (Asteraceae), indigenous to South Africa.

Curio ficoides
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Curio
Species:
C. ficoides
Binomial name
Curio ficoides
Curio ficoides (L.) & P.V.Heath (1999)
Synonyms

Cacalia ficoides L.
Kleinia ficoides (L.) Haw.
Senecio ficoides (L.) Sch.Bip.
Sources: IPNI,[1] AFPD[2]

Description
Spreading, scrambling form of the leaves.

A succulent, spreading shrub, it reaches over 1 meter in height. The brittle, succulent branches lose their leaves lower down. The leaves are blue-green to blue grey, pruinose, succulent, erect, tapering and flattened laterally, with translucent lines down both sides. The flower capitula have no ray florets, and appear on a terminal, branching inflorescence.

Relatives

This is a polyploid species (2n=100). However, its closest relatives are Curio repens, Curio radicans, Curio herreanus, and Curio hallianus, which have a variable number of chromosomes.

It is easily confused with Curio talinoides, 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.[3]

References
  1. "Senecio ficoides". International Plant Names Index (IPNI). Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  2. "Senecio ficoides (L.) Sch.Bip. record n° 98122". African Plants Database. South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica. Archived from the original on 2013-01-16. Retrieved 2008-05-24.
  3. G.Rowley (1994). Succulent Compositae: A Grower's Guide to the Succulent Species of Senecio & Othonna. Strawberry Press. ISBN 0912647124, 9780912647128

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