Another alpine mesemb

[iann]

Perhaps more of a steppe mesemb.  Neohenricia sibbettii is certainly very hardy and can be grown outdoors in Denver, CO, but it does its growing in the heat of summer when it can be thirsty.  The flowers are nocturnal and strongly scented.

[mark smyth]

Ian that's a lot of root for a tiny plant

[iann]

I think it takes a lot of root to grow in South Africa in the summer.  The plant is succulent but so tiny that it can't store much water and rainfall is erratic so I guess it chases the water down into the ground.

[Maggi Young]

Yes, Iann... and doesn't your photo of its root system illustrate that point really well?   

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

Hi Iann,
Very interesting indeed.Do all the plants living in arid zones develop this kind of roots? I thought Aizoaceae, Cacti and baobab-like plants had quite a poor root system and  also survive by accumulating rain drops and mist  not only through their roots

[iann]

Succulent roots can be large or small.  Aizoaceae range from completely minuscule roots on Conophytums and Argyrodermas to absolutely enormous roots on Fenestrarias and some of the summer growers, and sometimes taproots.  Absorption of water through the skin has not been documented in Aizoaceae and personally I don't think it occurs on any of them.  Stomata in the family are adapted to reduce water loss and are poorly structured for taking up water.  Many cacti have large taproots with quite minor fibrous roots, others have fairly extensive spreading roots.  Some Avonias have tiny fibrous roots attached to a caudex.

Here are:
Fenestraria rhopalophylla
Delosperma dyeri
Delosperma deilanthoides
Mammillaria luethyi
Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus
Ferocactus herrerae
Ectotropis alpina, Avonia alstonii, and Conophytum frutescens seedlings

[maggiepie]

Fantastic thread, thanks Iann.
It is so interesting to see the different root formations.

[cohan]

Hi Iann,
Very interesting indeed.Do all the plants living in arid zones develop this kind of roots? I thought Aizoaceae, Cacti and baobab-like plants had quite a poor root system and  also survive by accumulating rain drops and mist  not only through their roots

great photos, iann...i had a failed cutting of the neohenricia, once, will have to try it again, though i doubt its hardy here;

very true that xerophytic plants have numerous strategies--even within a genus, you can find plants with very fat roots, only fibrous, more or less succulent tops, no leaves, succulent leaves--they've tried everything!

[Jean-Patrick AGIER]

A very interesting lesson from a specialist.
Thanks a lot Iann