Oscularia

Life-forms

Classification System: APG IV

Superregnum: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiosperms
Cladus: Eudicots
Cladus: Core eudicots
Ordo: Caryophyllales

Familia: Aizoaceae
Genus: Oscularia
Species: O. alba – O. caulescens – O. cedarbergensis – O. compressa – O. comptonii – O. copiosa – O. cremnophila – O. deltoides – O. excedens – O. falciformis – O. guthrieae – O. lunata – O. major – O. ornata – O. paardebergensis – O. pedunculata – O. piquetbergensis – O. prasina – O. primiverna – O. steenbergensis – O. superans – O. thermarum – O. vernicolor – O. vredenburgensis
Source(s) of checklist:

Hassler, M. 2018. Oscularia. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2018. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jul. 12. Reference page.

Name

Oscularia Schwantes, 1927.

Type species: Oscularia deltoides (L.) Schwantes.

References

Schwantes, M.H.G., 1927: in Mollers Deutsch. Gartner-Zeit, xlii. 187.

Links

Hassler, M. 2018. Oscularia. World Plants: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World In: Roskovh, Y., Abucay, L., Orrell, T., Nicolson, D., Bailly, N., Kirk, P., Bourgoin, T., DeWalt, R.E., Decock, W., De Wever, A., Nieukerken, E. van, Zarucchi, J. & Penev, L., eds. 2018. Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of Life. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jul. 12. Reference page.
International Plant Names Index. 2018. Oscularia. Published online. Accessed: Jul. 12 2018.
The Plant List 2013. Oscularia in The Plant List Version 1.1. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jul. 12.
Tropicos.org 2018. Oscularia. Missouri Botanical Garden. Published on the internet. Accessed: 2018 Jul. 12.
Global Biodiversity Information Facility. 2019. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Checklist dataset. Taxon: Oscularia. .

Oscularia is a genus of succulent flowering plants in the family Aizoaceae, native to semi-arid and rocky habitats in the Western Cape of South Africa.

It was previously included within the related genus Lampranthus, but was split off as a separate genus, due to differences in its fruit and flower.

Description
Oscularia caulescens

The most superficially recognisable feature of the genus is the shape of the leaves, which are grey-green and waxy. They are triangular in cross-section (3 angled) and can be sickle, club or mouth shaped. The name "Oscularia" actually means "group of tiny mouths" in Latin, and refers to the appearance of the toothed leaves in some species. The stems are often red, and the leaves can become red too during times of drought.

Abundant, almond-scented, daisy-like white or pink flowers appear throughout the summer.[1][2]
Distribution

The species are restricted to the Western Cape Province, South Africa, where they occur only in winter rainfall areas. Their habitat is typically rocky areas of sandstone.[3]

The species Oscularia deltoides is cultivated as an ornamental garden plant.
List of species

Oscularia alba
Oscularia caulescens
Oscularia cedarbergensis
Oscularia compressa
Oscularia comptonii
Oscularia copiosa
Oscularia cremnophila
Oscularia deltata
Oscularia deltoides
Oscularia excedens
Oscularia falciformis
Oscularia guthrieae
Oscularia lunata
Oscularia major
Oscularia ornata
Oscularia paardebergensis
Oscularia pedunculata
Oscularia piquetbergensis
Oscularia prasina
Oscularia primiverna
Oscularia steenbergensis
Oscularia superans
Oscularia thermarum
Oscularia vernicolor
Oscularia vredenburgensis[4]

References

RHS A-Z encyclopedia of garden plants. United Kingdom: Dorling Kindersley. 2008. p. 1136. ISBN 978-1405332965.
http://gateway.myspecies.info/oscularia
http://www.plantzafrica.com/plantnop/osculdelt.htm
http://www.ipni.org/index.html