Publication: Edwards’s Bot. Reg. 52(2): 202. 1995
Description
This minuscule plant, with thin, rough-tubercled, cylindrical stems looks nothing like the other species, it branches from an early age, six months or so, and its fruits (horns) are small but numerous, adorning almost every shoot
Origin and Habitat
It is a beautiful plant originated from Northern Somalia and Oman
Cultivation and Propagation
Although not easy to grow, it is nonetheless easier and quicker growing than the others Pseudolithos and grows quite well in a greenhouse, it enjoy surprising amounts of water when they’re growing. They need a very fast draining soil and protection from cold and damp, but doesn’t like to get bone dry, even in winter, when plants must receive regular light watering, this species is comparatively quite frost resistant, but the minimum temperature must not lower below 0° C (anyway it can tolerate occasional light frost for short period), with adequate water supply this species can flower all the winter long . They come well from seed, do reasonably well in cultivation if given the right conditions. Since they’re slow growing branching plants they can stay for many years in a small container
But they remain quite expensive rarities.
Notes
This species together with Pseudolithos caput-viperae and Pseudolithos mccoyi are the only freely branching members of the genus. Originally classified as a Caralluma, was transferred into Pseudolithos, as Pseudolithos dodsonianus and now again in the genus Anomalluma as Anomalluma dodsoniana because of stem morphology and DNA researches.
Bibliography
Major references and further lectures
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Urs Eggli “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Dicotyledons” Springer Science & Business Media, 2002
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Hermann Jacobsen “A handbook of succulent plants: descriptions, synonyms, and cultural details for succulents other than Cactaceae” Blandford Press, 1960” Timber Press, 18/May/1999
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Focke Albers, Ulrich Meve “Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Asclepiadaceae: Asclepiadaceae” Volume 4 Springer Science & Business Media, 2002
Gallery
