''Adromischus bicolor'' is a

perennial In horticulture, the term perennial ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the year") is used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. It has thus been defined as a plant that lives more than 2 years. The term is also ...

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

plant in the family

Crassulaceae The Crassulaceae (, from Latin ''crassus'', thick), also known as the crassulas, the stonecrops or the orpine family, are a diverse Family (biology), family of dicotyledon angiosperms primarily characterized by succulent leaves and a form of phot ...

. The species name ''bicolor'' refers to the light, grey-green leaves spotted with purple to purple-green spots. It is endemic to the

Succulent Karoo The Succulent Karoo is an terrestrial ecoregion, ecoregion defined by the World Wide Fund for Nature to include regions of deserts and xeric shrublands, desert in South Africa and Namibia, and a biodiversity hotspot. The geographic area chosen ...

of western South Africa, as well as the

Eastern Cape, South Africa The Eastern Cape ( ; ) is one of the nine provinces of South Africa. Its capital is Bhisho, and its largest city is Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth). Due to its climate and nineteenth-century towns, it is a common location for tourists. It is also kno ...

Description

''Adromischus bicolor'' is a small, clumping plant with a compact habit reaching 4 cm tall and 9 cm wide. Its many small, grey-brown, succulent branches reach a diameter of 3 mm. The grey-green leaves with purple spots are

obovate The following terms are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (that is, the leaf blade or 'lamina' is undivided) or compound (that is, the leaf blade is divided into two or more leaflets) ...

, sometimes obtriangular. One to two

inflorescence In botany, an inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a plant's Plant stem, stem that is composed of a main branch or a system of branches. An inflorescence is categorized on the basis of the arrangement of flowers on a mai ...

s begin to appear in the middle of summer, reaching up to 25 cm tall. The tubular flowers begin yellow-green at the base and gradated to a tinge of red. The 2 mm long petals are white and triangular.

Distribution and habitat

''Adromischus bicolor'' occurs in exposed rock crevices in eastern and western regions of

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...

. There are less than five known populations. Some variation in leaf shape occurs depending on the locality, and it is unclear if both groups are of the same species. It is the only species of the ''

Adromischus ''Adromischus'' is a genus of flowering plants. They are easily-propagated, leaf succulents from the family Crassulaceae, which are endemism, endemic to southern Africa. The name comes from the ancient Greek ''adros'' (=thick) and ''mischos'' (= ...

'' section to grow endemically in the eastern Cape. It is one of thousands of species of succulent plants to occur in the Succulent Karoo.

Cultivation

''Adromischus bicolor'' is a slow-growing plant. Indoors, it will take as much sun as it can get in order to make the purple pigments pop. If growing outdoors, some shade may be required during the hottest months. Water only when soil dries completely. It can tolerate short periods of frost if the soil is completely dry, otherwise it can rot. ''Adromischus'' require a period of cold temperatures, around 10 °C, in order to flower. Propagation is easily done by leaf.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15479831 Succulent plants Endemic flora of the Cape Provinces bicolor