The Genus Dinteranthus
Named after Moritz Kurt Dinter

The genus Dinteranthus was named after Moritz Kurt Dinter (1868-1945), who did much research on the Namibian desert, the latinised suffix, anthus, means flower.  There is 4 species in the genus.

The miniature globular plants have fat leaves which are separated by a shallow or deep fissure, the greenish-grey surfaces could be rough or smooth with indentations and horny ridges or covered with dark green or purple spots.  The leaves have a distinct keel along the lower surface which give the leaves a triangular or boat like appearance.

The flowers, which arise from within the fissure, are light to dark yellow in colour, they are borne on a short, stout pedicel.  Flowers appear from late summer to midwinter (February to July in SA).  Once successful pollination has occurred, 6-15 locular fruit capsules appear, seeds are small and slightly course in texture.

The plants are distributed in the north-western parts of the North Western Cape in South Africa and the southern part of Namibia (Prieska in the south-east, Sperlingspütz in the west and Karasberg in the North.  The quartz patches in which these plants grow provide are ideal, the plants seem to blend in among the quartz pieces.

/ Antegibbeaum / Cheiridopsis / Conophytums / Dinteranthus / Fenestria / Gibbeaum / Hammeria / Lithops / Pleiospilos /