Disphyma
| Disphyma | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Disphyma crassifolium subsp. clavellatum | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Core eudicots |
| Order: | Caryophyllales |
| Family: | Aizoaceae |
| Genus: |
Disphyma N.E.Br. |
| Species: | D. crassifolium |
| Binomial name | |
|
Disphyma crassifolium (L.) L.Bolus |
|
| Subspecies | |
|
D. crassifolium subsp. crassifolium |
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D. crassifolium subsp. crassifolium
D. crassifolium subsp. clavellatum
Disphyma is a monotypic genus of succulent shrubs. Commonly known as round-leaved pigface, New Zealand iceplant and purple dewplant, it occurs in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand. Its sole species, Disphyma crassifolium, is divided into two subspecies, D. crassifolium subsp. crassifolium and D. crassifolium subsp. clavellatum.
It grows as a prostrate, succulent shrub or annual herb, from two to 30 centimetres high. Unlike the other pigfaces, its leaves are round in cross-section. Flowers are pink, purple or violet.
Disphyma crassifolium was first published as Mesembryanthemum crassifolium by Carl Linnaeus in 1753, based on South African specimen material. In 1786, Georg Forster published M. australe based on New Zealand material. Forster failed to give a description, however, so valid publication of the name falls to William Aiton, who published a description in 1789. In 1803, Adrian Hardy Haworth published M. clavellatum based on plants raised at Kew from seeds collected in Australia. Thus distinct species were erected for each country in which the plant occurred.
The genus Disphyma was published by N. E. Brown in 1925. The type species for the genus was M. crassifolium, which would be transferred into Disphyma as D. crassifolium. Apparently Brown neglected to formally transfer the species over, however, as this was done in 1927 by Harriet Margaret Louisa Bolus. Three years later, Brown transferred M. australe into Disphyma as D. australe.Robert Chinnock published a new species name, D. blackii in 1971, and five years later he transferred M. clavellatum to Disphyma.
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