Acrosanthes

Acrosanthes is a genus of flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae. It is native to the Namibia and South Africa's Cape Provinces in Southern Africa.^[1]

Acrosanthes
Acrosanthes anceps
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Order:	Caryophyllales
Family:	Aizoaceae
Subfamily:	Acrosanthoideae Klak
Genus:	Acrosanthes Eckl. & Zeyh. (1837)
Synonyms[1]
Didaste E.Mey. ex Harv. & Sond. (1862)

Description

Plants in this genus are generally prostrate to sprawling branching perennials with opposite succulent leaves. Inflorescences are a cyme, and flowers have 5 calyx lobes, 8 to many stamen, and an inferior ovary. Fruits are 2 loculed capsules with basal placentation (see "in plants"), and the fruit is xerochastic (fruit dehisces when dry).^[2][3] Their seeds are likely dispersed by ants.^[4]

Taxonomy

This genus was first described by Ecklon and Zeyher in 1837.^[3][5]

Species

There are 7 recognized species as of 2022:^[1]

1. Acrosanthes anceps (Thunb.) Sond.
2. Acrosanthes angustifolia Eckl. & Zeyh.
3. Acrosanthes decandra Fenzl
4. Acrosanthes humifusa (Thunb.) Sond.
5. Acrosanthes microphylla Adamson
6. Acrosanthes parviflora J.C.Manning & Goldblatt
7. Acrosanthes teretifolia Eckl. & Zeyh.