Quaqua

This article is about the plant genus. For the indigenous South American language, see Piaroa language.
Quaqua
Quaqua pillansii
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Gentianales
Family: Apocynaceae
Subfamily: Asclepiadoideae
Tribe: Ceropegieae
Subtribe: Stapellinae
Genus: Quaqua
N.E.Br.

The genus Quaqua falls within the tribe of plants known collectively as stapeliads. All stapeliads, including Quaqua, are old world stem succulents.[1] Species of the Quaqua genus are exceptionally varied and endemic to southwestern Africa, and locally very common in Namaqualand. They are usually characterised by having stout, firm, 4 or 5-sided stems bearing conical tubercles which often have a tough, tapering spike at their ends. A few species lack the spikes or have smoothly rounded tubercles.[1]

Quaqua flowers are distinctive from those of other southern African stapeliads for their numerous inflorescences emerging from each stem, especially closer to the ends. There are ten along each stem, vertically arranged in distichous series. The flowers themselves are typically sweet smelling (faintly of honey or lemon), attractive and rather small (between 7 and 15 mm in diameter). Some, however, reach a maximum diameter of 27 mm and are dark and papillate. These larger flowers frequently have a repulsive, pungent odor, either of urine or excrement.[1]

Species[2]
  1. Quaqua acutiloba (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
  2. Quaqua arida (Masson) Plowes
  3. Quaqua armata (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
  4. Quaqua framesii (Pillans) Bruyns
  5. Quaqua incarnata (L.f.) Bruyns
  6. Quaqua inversa (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
  7. Quaqua linearis (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
  8. Quaqua mammillaris (L.) Bruyns
  9. Quaqua marlothii (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
  10. Quaqua multiflora (R.A.Dyer) Bruyns
  11. Quaqua parviflora (Masson) Bruyns
  12. Quaqua pillansii (N.E.Br.) Bruyns
  13. Quaqua pruinosa (Masson) Bruyns
  14. Quaqua ramosa (Masson) Bruyns

References

  1. 1 2 3 P.V.Bruyns, Bolus Herbarium, University of Cape Town (2002). "The South African genera of the stapeliads" (PDF). Aloe. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 21, 2007. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  2. ↑ The Plant List
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