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Conophytum burgeri L.Bolus SUBFENESTRATA GROUP
Aizoaceae

Locality:  3 year old seedlings at Selecta Nursery

Distribution:  Northern Cape near Aggenys in one isolated area to the northwest of Namiesberg.  C. Burgeri is found on firm
rises where quartz-covered soil occurs.

Flower:  The honey-scented flowers are autumnal (they often split the bodies) and diurnal (opening briefly in the afternoon).The calyx-tube is 4-5mm long with 6 greenish-white sepals with thin margins.  The corolla tube (10mm long) is longer than the calyx tube.  There are 24-52 petals (7-18mm long, 3mm wide) in a 2-3 series. The petals are rose-purplish in colour and white toward the base.  The stamens occur in three series and there are numerous delicate whitish filaments (10mm long), anthers are yellow.  The stigmas (10-14mm long) are free 

Description:  The plants are single bodied and it rarely splits.  The bodies (13-25mm length of base to apex x 20-25 mm across apex, transverse to fissure x 20-25 mm across apex, along fissure) are broadly ovate, flat toward the base and sometimes indented or scalloped around the base.  The glabrous epidermis is shiny and translucent, epidermis may be grey-green to deep purple-reddish in colour.  The 2-4mm long fissure is narrow and may be inconspicuous, it is glabrous.

Common name:  Also known as "Burger's Onion".

Point of interest:  These plants are named for the distinctive two lobed bodies.

Photographer: Etwin Aslander

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