Puneet Varma (Editor)

Ceropegia

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Kingdom
  
Family
  
Scientific name
  
Ceropegia

Rank
  
Genus

Order
  
Subfamily
  
Higher classification
  
Ceropegia httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaencc5Cer

Lower classifications
  
Ceropegia woodii, Ceropegia sandersonii, Ceropegia stapeliiformis, Ceropegia aridicola, Ceropegia decidua

Unique ceropegia rosary vine a k a string of hearts


Ceropegia is a genus of plants within the family Apocynaceae, native to Africa, southern Asia, and Australia. It was named by Carl Linnaeus, who first described this genus in volume 1 of his Species plantarum, which appeared in 1753. Linnaeus thought that the flowers looked like a fountain of wax. From this the scientific name was derived: ‘keros’ meaning wax and ‘pege’ meaning fountain (Pooley, 1998). They have many common names including lantern flower, parasol flower, parachute flower, bushman’s pipe, string of hearts, snake creeper, wine-glass vine, rosary vine, and necklace vine.

Contents

Ceropegia species are traded, kept, and propagated as ornamental plants.

String of hearts ceropegia woodii


Appearance

Ceropegia Ceropegia woodii

The stems are vining or trailing in most species, though a few species from the Canary Islands have erect growth habits. Among some species, such as Ceropegia woodii, the nodes swell, and the roots similarly expand to form tubers beneath the soil surface. The leaves are simple and opposite, although they can be rudimentary or absent. Especially in certain succulent species, the leaves may also be thick and fleshy.

Ceropegia Ceropegia woodii

The flowers have a tubular corolla with five petals most often fused at the tips, forming an umbrella-like canopy, a cage, or appendage-like antennae. The flowers of this genus are adapted for pollination by flies. A great diversity of fly species are associated with ceropegias. The flowers are often inflated and fused at several points, forming a cage. Flies become momentarily trapped inside, accomplishing pollination as they move about.

Classification

Ceropegia Ceropegia chain of hearts and a lot more Glorious Gardens

The genus Ceropegia belongs to the subfamily Asclepiadoideae (milkweeds) within the family Apocynaceae. Species of this genus bear similarities to the carrion flowers or stapelias. There are more than 180 known species and more are being discovered and described regularly. They are distributed throughout most of sub-Saharan Africa and Madagascar to the Arabian Peninsula, southeast Asia, the Canary Islands, the tropical Pacific, and Australia.

Ceropegia 1000 images about SUCCULENT Ceropegia on Pinterest Agaves

A generic complex, with many interesting taxonomic problems at both generic and specific level, is formed by three genera: Ceropegia, Brachystelma and Riocreuxia.

Ceropegia 1000 images about Succ Ceropegia on Pinterest Agaves Hanging

Ceropegia 963045573290png

References

Ceropegia Wikipedia