Malephora luteola   =Hymenocyclus luteola   Aizoaceae (Carpet-Weed Family)   Origin Not Known   Malephora

                                       June Photo

Plant Characteristics:  Low branching perennial with decumbent stems; lvs. opposite, three-angled to terete, glabrous, gray green, to 3  cm. long, +/- 3.5 mm. in dia., each pair turned 90 degrees to the pair below; fls. terminal on the branches, yellow, +/- 2 cm.  across, petals approx. 20, each fl. with two lf. like sepals +/- 1 cm. long and two membranous sepals with scarious margins, +/- 5 mm. long; peduncle tapered from the base and enclosing the capsules, 1 cm. long; stigmas 8;   fr. fleshy, indehiscent.  (my description).

Habitat:  Escape from Cultivation.  Lower elevations in primarily frost free areas.  May-June and throughout the year.  (Sunset Editors 367).

Name:  Malephora, origin of the genus name not known.    Greek, (Doric) malon, apple, and Greek, phoros, bearing.  (Bailey, Hortus III).  Apple bearing, possibly referring to the fleshy fruit.  (John Johnson). Luteola, from lute-olus, yellowish.  (Bailey 17).

General:  Uncommon in the study area.  Found only on the southerly facing banks of upper Big Canyon where it has escaped from the yards above.  The genus Malephora is not listed in Bailey.  Identity of this plant from blooming flats in the local nursery.  (my comments).      The family Aizoaceae includes erect or prostrate herbs or subshrubs, often fleshy and inhabitants of deserts and sea-shores; as formerly constituted genera above 20 and species probably 500 or more, but the genus Mesembryanthemum is now divided into more than 100 genera and numberless new species.  (Bailey 359).      Bloom sparse, not for erosion control.  (Sunset Editors, New Western Garden Book, 1984 edition 367).

Text Ref:  Bailey 362; Sunset Editors 367.

Photo Ref:  June 90 # 7A,8A..

Identity: by R. De Ruff.

First Found: June 1990.

Computer Ref:  Plant Data 398

No plant specimen.

Last edit 11/28/03.

                                              June Photo