Inclusion of Ihlenfeldtia and Odontophorus in Cheiridopsis (Ruschioideae: Aizoaceae) and insights into generic and subgeneric circumscription in the Conophytum clade Author Powell, Robyn F. Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa & Compton Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X 7, Claremont, Cape Town 7735, South Africa robyn.powell.sanbi@gmail.com Author Boatwright, James S. Department of Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Private Bag X 17, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa Author Klak, Cornelia Bolus Herbarium, Department of Biological Sciences, HW Pearson Building, University of Cape Town, Rhodes Gift, 7707 Rondebosch, South Africa Author Magee, Anthony R. Compton Herbarium, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Private Bag X 7, Claremont, Cape Town 7735, South Africa & Department of Botany and Plant Biotechnology, University of Johannesburg, P. O. Box 524, Auckland Park, Johannesburg 2006, South Africa text Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 2017 2017-07-27 184 4 457 484 https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/c12a3c59-3c2b-3ecf-89f9-d5ae04e04abd/ journal article 10.1093/botlinnean/box037 d01b4a33-1257-4470-8a2e-15c84aed57d7 7868488 3.1. Cheiridopsis subgenus Cheiridopsis . Type : C. rostrata N.E.Br. Compact perennial shrubs, sometimes mat-forming. Leaves heterophyllous, with subsequent leaf pairs unequal along stem; surface velvety, with no epidermal elevations formed above subhypodermal idioblasts; epidermal cells forming blunt papillae; sheaths partially or fully enclosing the emerging leaf pair during dormancy. Flowers cream to yellow, rarely orange, red. Capsules with decumbent pedicels; top flat to rounded, base funnel-shaped; valve wings narrow, 1 / 3 width of valve or rarely rectangular, often narrowing in an awn distally; covering membranes prominently undulate, often with additional protrusions in subcentral position; closing bodies large, blocking at least ¾ of the locule. Seeds mostly smooth, rarely papillate. Diagnostic characters and distribution : Cheiridopsis subgenus Cheiridopsis includes 14 species that are distinguished by their decumbent capsules ( Figs 5 A , 7 E ) and heterophyllous leaves. Some species ( C. meyeri , C. minor , C. namaquensis and C. peculiaris ) can be distinguished by the sheath that fully encloses the emerging leaf pair during the dormant period ( Fig. 8 C ). The species occur from the Richtersveld, southwards to Langebaan, with the centre of diversity in the Springbok-Steinkopf Region ( Fig. 6 B ). Recognized species : Cheiridopsis amabilis S.A.Hammer , C.delphinoides S.A.Hammer , C.derenbergiana Schwantes , C. gamoepensis S.A.Hammer , C. imitans L.Bolus , C. meyeri N.E.Br. , C. minor (L.Bolus) H.E.K.Hartmann , C. namaquensis (Sond.) H.E.K.Hartmann , C. pearsonii N.E.Br. , C. peculiaris N.E.Br. , C. rostrata (L.) N.E.Br. , C. schlechteri Tischer , C. turbinata L.Bolus , C. umbrosa S.A.Hammer & Desmet.