Kleinia neriifolia

Kleinia neriifolia
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Subfamily: Asteroideae
Tribe: Senecioneae
Genus: Kleinia
Species: K. neriifolia
Binomial name
Kleinia neriifolia
Native range of K. neriifolia.
Synonyms

Senecio kleinia Less.

Kleinia neriifolia, known in Spanish as verode or berode, is a species of flowering plant in the daisy family (Asteraceae). It is endemic to the Canary Islands. It was formerly named Senecio kleinia.[1]:353

Description

A succulent plant,[2] Kleinia neriifolia has articulated branches (constrictions that make them look like rows of sausages)[3] and thick, stubby, elongated leaves which rest directly on the main stem or branch without a petiole or footstalk. The leaves grow clustered in crowded circles at the tops of the branches.[2] The trunk is about 1 m (3 ft) high, and the lanceolate leaves up to 12 cm (5 in) long.[3] Fragrant grey white flowers appear at any time between March and October. The plant is deciduous, the leaves falling at the beginning of the dry season.[4] As with most arid habitat plants, reproduction is by reseeding only.[2]

Habitat

...these plants almost seem to live on air, yet they attain a considerable size; filled with sap they hang down in all their beauty from jagged rock, at first sight seeming to be purely superficial, but in reality sending their roots into crevices, and abstracting the water retained there by capillarity.

Eugenius Warming, 1909[2]

Kleinia neriifolia grows abundantly in the Tabaibal-Cardonal zone or the arid, subtropical with steep and eroded substrates which are more pronounced and dominant in the eastern archipelago.[5] The vegetation can be compared with that of the arid areas of Sudan, Ethiopia, Arabia and Iran and is typical of the steppe in the African continent.[3]

Horticulture

The plant is used in gardens with dry conditions. The plant requires a minimum exposure of the sun. The minimum winter temperature it can endure is −2 °C (28 °F).[4]

Kleinia neriifolia has been successfully cultivated as a houseplant and as landscaping. It is on a list of suggested fire safe landscaping.[6]

References

  1. ↑ Bramwell, D.; Bramwell, Z. (2001). Wild flowers of the Canary Islands. Madrid, Spain: Editorial Rueda. ISBN 84-7207-129-4.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Warming, Eugenius (1977) [1909]. "32 Storage of Water by Land Plants". Oecology of Plants. 300 Bedford Street, Manchester, NH: Ayer Publishing. ISBN 0-405-10423-5.
  3. 1 2 3 "Canary Islands Flora - Arid Habitat". Archived from the original on 2008-03-06. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  4. 1 2 Elio Darcangeli. "LE PIANTE - Senecio kleinia". PIANTE GRASS and SUCCULANTS (in Italian). Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  5. ↑ S. Rivas Goday y F. Esteve Chueca. "Ensayo fitosociológico de la "Crassi-Euphorbieta" macaronesica y estudio de los tabaibales y cardonales de Gran Canaria" (PDF). Anales del Jardín Botánico de Madrid (in Spanish). Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid: Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid. 22 (1): 221–339. Retrieved 2008-03-02.
  6. ↑ Jeanette Knutson-Pedersen; California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (July 2005). "Tree Notes" (PDF). Fire Safe Landscaping. Plumas Fire Safe Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2008-03-02.

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