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Cotyledon | |
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Cotyledon orbiculata (grey variety) | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophytes |
Clade: | Angiosperms |
Clade: | Eudicots |
Order: | Saxifragales |
Family: | Crassulaceae |
Subfamily: | Kalanchoideae |
Genus: | Cotyledon Tourn. ex L. 1753 |
Species | |
See text |
Cotyledon is one of some 35 genera of succulent plants in the family Crassulaceae. Mostly from Southern Africa, they also occur throughout the drier parts of Africa as far north as the Arabian Peninsula. Ten of its species are mostly confined to South Africa, where unlike Tylecodon, they occur commonly in both the winter and summer rainfall regions.[1] They may be found on coastal flats and rocky hillsides, or as cremnophytes on cliff faces. Their decussate, evergreen leaves are highly variable in shape, even within some species, but the flowers, apart from colour, are very similar.[1]