La Gomera and La Palma

[Kees Jan]

Can anyone tell me which annual Aichryon this is? Photographed on La Gomera in the San Sebastian area.

[Maggi Young]

The Crassulaceae are something of a mystery to me- I was interested to read that there are quite a number of Aichryson endemic to the Canary islands:
http://www.succulent-plant.com/families/crassulaceae/aichryson.html

[Kees Jan]

I think it may be an annual example of Aichryson punctatum, but was confused by pictures of biennual A. punctatum which clearly showed a rosette. This looks quite similar though http://www.agefotostock.com/en/Stock-Images/Rights-Managed/BWI-BS248310

[Maggi Young]

K-J, do the rosettes develop directly into the flowering stems? Difficult growth pattern to detect. 

[Kees Jan]

The picture on the link in my previous posting does not show rosettes and made me think that what I photographed could well be A. punctatum. But in other pictures it is more clear that this species sometimes forms a rosette in its first year: http://www.floracyberia.net/spermatophyta/angiospermae/dicotyledoneae/crassulaceae/aichryson_punctatum.html  . I have a better example of an A. punctatum rosette in a book on the plants of the Canary Islands.

[FrazerHenderson]

Kees
Bramwell & Bramwell has an useful key.

"3. Plants glabrous or subglabrous
9. Leaf-margins with purple crenulations..............A. punctatum
9. Leaf-margins without purple crenulations.........A. pachycaulon"

Bramwell advises that the only Aichryson species found on La Gomera are A. laxum, A. parlatori, A. punctatum and A. pachycaulon subsp. gonzalez-hernandezii.

I can provide more text if required.

Frazer

[Kees Jan]

thanks, although I don't have a clear picture of the leaf margins I think it must be A. punctatum