Disphyma facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Disphyma |
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| Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Aizoaceae |
| Subfamily: | Ruschioideae |
| Tribe: | Ruschieae |
| Genus: | Disphyma N.E.Br. |
Disphyma is a group of flowering plants. They belong to the plant family called Aizoaceae. You can find these plants growing naturally in New Zealand, Australia, and southern Africa.
Disphyma plants usually grow low to the ground. They can be annuals, meaning they live for about one year. Some are short-lived perennials, which means they live for a few years. These plants have thick, juicy leaves, like other succulent plants. Their flowers look like small daisies. They grow one by one at the end of the plant's shoots. The flowers have many petal-like parts and many stamens. They usually have five styles, which are part of the plant's reproductive system.
What Disphyma Plants Look Like
Disphyma plants grow close to the ground. They can be annuals or short-lived perennials. Their branches can grow roots where they touch the ground. This helps the plant spread.
The leaves grow one after another along the stem. They are joined at their base. These leaves are succulent, meaning they are thick and hold water. They are usually round or somewhat triangular when you look at them from the side.
The flowers usually grow by themselves. Sometimes you might see two or three flowers together. They appear at the ends of branches or on short side shoots. Each flower sits on a stalk called a pedicel, which can be up to 100 millimetres (about 4 inches) long.
The flower has a tube-shaped outer part. It has five sepals, which are like small leaves that protect the bud. Two of these sepals are larger and look like leaves. The other three are smaller and a bit juicy. The flowers have many petal-like parts that are often purplish. These are called staminodes. There are also many stamens, which are the parts that produce pollen.
The part of the flower that holds the seeds is called the ovary. It sits below the other flower parts. Usually, there are five styles. These are the parts that receive pollen. When the flower is ready, it forms a capsule as its fruit. This capsule holds the seeds.
How Disphyma Plants Are Named
The group of plants called Disphyma was first officially described in 1925. This was done by a scientist named N. E. Brown. He wrote about it in a magazine called The Gardeners' Chronicle.
As of October 2020, there are four main types, or species, of Disphyma plants. The website Plants of the World Online lists these accepted species:
- Disphyma australe: This plant is found only in New Zealand. When a plant is found only in one specific area, it is called endemic.
- Disphyma crassifolium: You can find this species in Australia and the Cape Province in southern Africa.
- Disphyma dunsdonii: This plant is also endemic to the Cape Province in southern Africa.
- Disphyma papillatum: This species is endemic to the Chatham Islands, which are part of New Zealand.
Plants of the World Online also recognizes two subspecies, which are like smaller groups within a species:
- Disphyma australe subsp. stricticaule: This subspecies is endemic to Kermadec Island in New Zealand.
- Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum: This subspecies is endemic to Australia. It has also been brought to the South Island of New Zealand.
