Portulacaria pygmaea

Portulacaria pygmaea
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Core eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Didiereaceae
Genus: Portulacaria
Species: P. pygmaea
Binomial name
Portulacaria pygmaea
Pillans

Portulacaria pygmaea (previously Ceraria pygmaea), also known as the Pygmy porkbush, is a small-leaved dwarf succulent plant found on the border between Namibia and South Africa.

Description

It is a small, compact, soft-wooded, dwarf shrub with bisexual flowers. Its blue-green leaves are semi-evergreen. Its tiny compact branches spread, and often droop, staying close to the ground. It also develops a thick caudex or root-stock, which has led to it being a popular bonsai specimen.

Within the genus Portulacaria it is most closely related to its larger sister-species Portulacaria fruticulosa.[1]

References

  1. P.Bruyns, M.Oliveira-Neto, G.F. Melo de Pinna, C.Klak: Phylogenetic relationships in the Didiereaceae with special reference to subfamily Portulacarioideae. Taxon 63 (5). October 2014. 1053-1064.
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