Portulacaria armiana

Portulacaria armiana (previously Ceraria armiana), also known as the whipstick-porkbush, is a succulent plant found on the border between Namibia and South Africa.

Portulacaria armiana
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Caryophyllales
Family: Didiereaceae
Genus: Portulacaria
Species:
P. armiana
Binomial name
Portulacaria armiana
van Jaarsv.

Description

It grows as a low shrub. It can be distinguished from its relatives by its large, grey-green waxy leaves, and its extremely tall inflorescence ("whipstick"), which rises unusually high (up to 8 meters).

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

Distribution

Its natural habitat is the lower reaches of the Orange River valley, on the border between Namibia and South Africa. In this extremely arid, winter-rainfall area, it favours mildly acidic sands on high granite outcrops.

It grows in full sun in extremely well-drained soil, and can be propagated by seed or cuttings.[2]

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.
  2. http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/portulacariaarmiana.htm
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