Kalanchoe sexangularis, also known as bushveld kalanchoe, six-angled kalanchoe, or red-leaved kalanchoe, is a species of the succulent genus Kalanchoe, in the family Crassulaceae that is native to Southern Africa.
| Kalanchoe sexangularis | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification 
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Saxifragales |
| Family: | Crassulaceae |
| Genus: | Kalanchoe |
| Species: | K. sexangularis
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| Binomial name | |
| Kalanchoe sexangularis | |
Description
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Kalanchoe sexangularis is a succulent, perennial that reaches heights of 20 to 100 centimeters. Its single or few simple, upright, round, reddish shoots are somewhat two-to-six-sided and arise from a woody base. The fleshy leaves are more or less stalked.[clarification needed] The rutty[clarification needed] petiole is 4 to 45 millimeters long. On the lower leaves it does not encompass the stem, but on the upper leaves it is clearly encompassing the stem.[clarification needed]
The leaf blade may be broad, elliptical, elongate or oval in shape, with a green to deep, ruby-red (in full sun) hue. Leaves measure between 12-33 cm (5-13") long and between 7-20 cm (3-8") wide. The leaf tip is generally rounded or blunt. The base of the lower leaves is heart-shaped, that of the upper is wedge-shaped. The leaf margin is roughly notched, with a wavy edging, sometimes with one or several bluntly jagged lobes.[1]
Inflorescences
editA winter-bloomer, K. sexangularis' inflorescence consists of flat-topped panicles up to 30 cm (11.8") in length. The upright, green-yellow to bright yellow flowers are on 2-7 mm long peduncles.
The green calyx tube is 0.5 to 2 millimeters long. The triangular, pointed calyx lobes are 1.5 to 2.2 millimeters long and about 1.2 millimeters wide. The pale pink, square-cylindrical to almost pyramidal corolla tube is enlarged in the lower half and 8 to 13 millimeters long. Their salmon-colored, broadly egg-shaped to almost circular corolla lobes are narrowed or rounded at their tip and have a length of 2 to 4 millimeters and are 1.5 to 3 millimeters wide. The stamens are attached to the tip of the corolla tube. Upper stamens protrude from the flower. The almost circular anthers are 0.4 to 1 millimeter long. The linear-lanceolate, pointed nectar flakes are 1.6 to 4 millimeters long. The carpel has a length of 6.5 to 10 millimeters. The stylus is 1.7 to 4 millimeters long.[2]
The seeds reach a length of 1 to 1.3 millimeters.
Distribution
editKalanchoe sexangularis is common in Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa on rocky slopes in the shade or partial shade of trees or shrubs in bushland.
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Kalanchoe sexangularis N.E.Br. by South African National Biodiversity Institute, from PlantZAfrica.com
- ^ Bernard Descoings: Kalanchoe sexangularis . In: Urs Eggli (Ed.): Succulents Lexicon. Crassulaceae (thick leaf family) . Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart 2003, ISBN 3-8001-3998-7 , pp. 182 .