'' Faucaria'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
of around 8
species
A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...
of
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 ...
subtropical
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (). The term angiosperm is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek words (; 'container, vessel') and (; 'seed'), meaning that the seeds are enclosed with ...
s of the family Aizoaceae. The name comes from the Latin word ''fauces'' (“animal mouth”) because of the appearance of "teeth" on the leaves.
''Faucaria'' species are native to the
Cape Province
The Province of the Cape of Good Hope (), commonly referred to as the Cape Province () and colloquially as The Cape (), was a province in the Union of South Africa and subsequently the Republic of South Africa. It encompassed the old Cape Co ...
of South Africa and the
Karoo
The Karoo ( ; from the Afrikaans borrowing of the South Khoekhoe Khoemana (also known as !Orakobab or Korana) word is a semidesert natural region of South Africa. No exact definition of what constitutes the Karoo is available, so its extent is ...
Desert.
Description
Small plants of 8 cm diameter, with thick triangular leaves. On the edges of the leaves there are upright teeth in opposite pairs that looks like an animal mouth. It may become bushy.
The plants are light green, turning purple if exposed to strong sunshine.
Golden yellow flowers appear in the center of the
rosette
Rosette is the French diminutive of ''rose''. It may refer to:
Flower shaped designs
* Rosette (award), a mark awarded by an organisation
* Rosette (design), a small flower design
*hence, various flower-shaped or rotational symmetric forms:
** R ...
.
Species
''Faucaria'' species accepted by the Plants of the World Online as of November 2022:
*''
Faucaria bosscheana''
*''
Faucaria britteniae''
*''
Faucaria felina''
*''
Faucaria gratiae''
*''
Faucaria nemorosa''
*''
Faucaria subintegra''
*''
Faucaria tigrina''
*''
Faucaria tuberculosa''
Cultivation
Put the plants in small pots with a well-drained soil. In a very sunny exposure and if possible outside in summer.
Moderate watering in summer and not at all in winter for the plant is a rest period without which it can not flourish.
Division of clumps is the easiest way for reproduction. It can also be done by cutting (with a minimum temperature of 21 °C) or by seeding.
References
External links
*
*
* ((fr)
Photos on www.AIAPS.org
{{Taxonbar, from=Q137126
Aizoaceae genera
Aizoaceae