Muiria in dormancy, in papery sheaths after finishing flowering.
Unlike most other plants in its family, Muiria is covered in soft downy fur (from which it gets its common name) and has leaves that are entirely fused together, into one smooth rounded body.
In the summer it produces white or pink flowers, that tear through the (still living) flesh of the plant. The flesh then withers into a papery sheath, within which the new body forms. After several generations of subdivisions, it can form clumps.[1]
Life-cycleedit
Like many related plants, Muirias grow in annual cycles of growth and dormancy.
Their habitat is a winter rainfall region. They therefore begin their growth cycle in early autumn when the first rains arrive, pushing out of the dry sheaths which remain from the previous years dead leaves, and forming the new green growth. Throughout the winter, they receive mists and occasional rainfall. By the end of winter, the new growth stops and appears to decay, becoming more yellow and soft in the spring. The flower buds can then push through the softened flesh.
With the onset of the full summer drought, flowering ends, the old flesh gradually dries into a papery sheath and the plants enter a brief dormancy (which can last any period between a few weeks and four months). The first new rains bring it out of dormancy and commence the cycle again.
Distribution and habitatedit
Muiria is indigenous to a tiny arid area (c.300 mm annual rainfall) of the "Succulent Karoo" in the Western Cape, South Africa. Its habitat is the quartzite rubble that overlay clay soils on the low ridges near the Langeberg Mountains.
In this extremely small range, it has recently suffered an enormous reduction in population and range, due to habitat loss, trampling by stock animals and illegal collecting.[2]
Cultivationedit
Muiria hortenseae is difficult to cultivate, as it requires sparing but steady watering throughout most of the year, (a sharply contrasting opinion is that of Alfred Byrd Graf who recommends that Muiria hortense be watered only once a year)[3] generous space for its large root system, and a rocky, gritty, extremely well-drained soil. Some cultivators also occasionally add a one or two grains of salt to the soil surface, to add an extremely slight salinity to the soil. It is also recommended to give it little to no water for a drought of a month or two, after it has flowered.
Propagation is usually by seed, and Muiria sometimes hybridises with Gibbaeum album, with which it shares its natural habitat in the Little Karoo.[4]
Referencesedit
^"Muiria On-line Guide to the positive identification of Succulent Plant Families". succulentguide.com. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
^"Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants". redlist.sanbi.org. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
^Graf, Alfred Byrd (n.d.). Exotica. East Rutherford, N.J.: The Ruhrs Company. p. 1656.
^. files.nyu.edu. Archived from the original on 2014-08-11. Retrieved 2014-07-31.
External linksedit
Data related to Muiria at Wikispecies
Media related to Muiria at Wikimedia Commons
December 20, 2023
muiria, hortenseae, mouse, head, rare, dwarf, species, succulent, plant, family, aizoaceae, indigenous, very, small, area, little, karoo, western, cape, south, africa, only, species, monophyletic, genus, scientific, classificationkingdom, plantaeclade, tracheo. Muiria hortenseae mouse head is a rare dwarf species of succulent plant of the family Aizoaceae indigenous to a very small area in the Little Karoo Western Cape South Africa It is the only species in the monophyletic genus Muiria MuiriaScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsOrder CaryophyllalesFamily AizoaceaeSubfamily RuschioideaeTribe RuschieaeGenus MuiriaN E Br Species M hortenseaeBinomial nameMuiria hortenseaeN E Br Contents 1 Description 2 Life cycle 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Cultivation 5 References 6 External linksDescription edit nbsp Muiria in dormancy in papery sheaths after finishing flowering Unlike most other plants in its family Muiria is covered in soft downy fur from which it gets its common name and has leaves that are entirely fused together into one smooth rounded body In the summer it produces white or pink flowers that tear through the still living flesh of the plant The flesh then withers into a papery sheath within which the new body forms After several generations of subdivisions it can form clumps 1 Life cycle editLike many related plants Muirias grow in annual cycles of growth and dormancy Their habitat is a winter rainfall region They therefore begin their growth cycle in early autumn when the first rains arrive pushing out of the dry sheaths which remain from the previous years dead leaves and forming the new green growth Throughout the winter they receive mists and occasional rainfall By the end of winter the new growth stops and appears to decay becoming more yellow and soft in the spring The flower buds can then push through the softened flesh With the onset of the full summer drought flowering ends the old flesh gradually dries into a papery sheath and the plants enter a brief dormancy which can last any period between a few weeks and four months The first new rains bring it out of dormancy and commence the cycle again Distribution and habitat editMuiria is indigenous to a tiny arid area c 300 mm annual rainfall of the Succulent Karoo in the Western Cape South Africa Its habitat is the quartzite rubble that overlay clay soils on the low ridges near the Langeberg Mountains In this extremely small range it has recently suffered an enormous reduction in population and range due to habitat loss trampling by stock animals and illegal collecting 2 Cultivation editMuiria hortenseae is difficult to cultivate as it requires sparing but steady watering throughout most of the year a sharply contrasting opinion is that of Alfred Byrd Graf who recommends that Muiria hortense be watered only once a year 3 generous space for its large root system and a rocky gritty extremely well drained soil Some cultivators also occasionally add a one or two grains of salt to the soil surface to add an extremely slight salinity to the soil It is also recommended to give it little to no water for a drought of a month or two after it has flowered Propagation is usually by seed and Muiria sometimes hybridises with Gibbaeum album with which it shares its natural habitat in the Little Karoo 4 References edit Muiria On line Guide to the positive identification of Succulent Plant Families succulentguide com Retrieved 2014 07 31 Threatened Species Programme SANBI Red List of South African Plants redlist sanbi org Retrieved 2014 07 31 Graf Alfred Byrd n d Exotica East Rutherford N J The Ruhrs Company p 1656 The New Mastering the Art of Growing Mesembs by Steven Hammer files nyu edu Archived from the original on 2014 08 11 Retrieved 2014 07 31 External links edit nbsp Data related to Muiria at Wikispecies nbsp Media related to Muiria at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Muiria amp oldid 1170185870, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
