Cheiridopsis is a genus that consists of 100 species of flowering succulent perennial plants, native to semi-arid regions in the far west of Namibia and South Africa.
Most species are clump-forming, a few are shrubby. The leaves are opposite and triangular in section, rarely flattened, the surface more or less velvety, which makes them easy to distinguish from species of the allied genus Argyroderma. Daisy-like flowers open during the day in summer, are borne singly and usually have yellow, rarely purple or red, petals.
The name comes from the Greek "cheiris", meaning "sleeve". Each succeeding pair of leaves differs from the previous one in form, size, and relative unity of the leaves. Those most united wither in the resting period and form a papery sheath covering the succeeding pair of leaves during dormancy in dry, hot summer.[1]
The genus occurs in the far west of South Africa and Namibia. Here it occurs from the Western Cape Province northwards through the Namaqualand, into Namibia.
The species are mostly adapted to a very arid, winter-rainfall climate. The tender species C. peculiaris requires cultivation under glass in temperate regions.[2]
Cheiridopsis acuminata
Cheiridopsis alata
Cheiridopsis amabilis
Cheiridopsis aspera
Cheiridopsis aurea
Cheiridopsis bifida
Cheiridopsis brownii
Cheiridopsis bruynsii
Cheiridopsis candidissima
Cheiridopsis carinata
Cheiridopsis caroli
Cheiridopsis caroli-schmidtii
Cheiridopsis cigarettifera
Cheiridopsis cuminata
Cheiridopsis delphinoides
Cheiridopsis denticulata
Cheiridopsis derenbergiana
Cheiridopsis dilatata
Cheiridopsis excavata
Cheiridopsis gamoepensis
Cheiridopsis glomerata
Cheiridopsis herrei
Cheiridopsis imitans
Cheiridopsis marlothii
Cheiridopsis meyeri
Cheiridopsis minima
Cheiridopsis minor
Cheiridopsis namaquensis
Cheiridopsis nelii
Cheiridopsis pearsonii
Cheiridopsis peculiaris
Cheiridopsis pillansii
Cheiridopsis pilosula
Cheiridopsis ponderosa
Cheiridopsis pulverulenta
Cheiridopsis purpurata
Cheiridopsis purpurea
Cheiridopsis robusta
Cheiridopsis rostrata
Cheiridopsis rudis
Cheiridopsis schlechteri
Cheiridopsis speciosa
Cheiridopsis subaequalis
Cheiridopsis truncata
Cheiridopsis turbinata
Cheiridopsis umbrosa
Cheiridopsis umdausensis
Cheiridopsis vanbredai
Cheiridopsis vanzijlii
Cheiridopsis velox
Cheiridopsis verrucosa
Cheiridopsis is a genus that consists of 100 species of flowering succulent perennial plants, native to semi-arid regions in the far west of Namibia and South Africa.
