Comparison Chart

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C. mirabilis

C. nobilis

C. robusta

C. gardenii

C.caulescens

C. miniata

Date described

2002

1828

2004

1856

1954

1854

Distribution

W escarpment

SE coast

E coast

E escarpment

NE escarpment

E escarpment

Habitat

Arid humic sandstone scree

Sandstone slopes to coastal sand dunes

Swamp forest in wet sand, drainage at cliff ledges

Humic scree on sandstone

Epiphytic on sandstone / trees in moss, humus on sandstone

Humic scree on sandstone, rhyolites, dolerite

Flowering time

October to mid-November (late Spring)

August to January (Spring - Summer)

late March - early August (Autumn - Winter)

May to July (late Autumn to mid-Winter)

September to November (Spring)

August to November (Spring - early Summer)

Peduncle colour

?

Green

Reddish then green

Reddish then green

Green

Green

Perianth shape

pendulous tubular

pendulous tubular

pendulous tubular

pendulous tubular

pendulous tubular

upright trumpet

Perianth width

11 mm

10 mm

50-70mm

Perianth length

25-40mm

40-70mm

35 mm

Flower colour

Bicoloured orange/yellow turning orange-red with age, with green tips fading as it opens

Dark orange with green tips, but varies from pinkish yellow to dark red

Orange-red with green tips

Orange-red with pronounced green tips; but varies from yellow to brownish red

Orange-red with green tips

Orange with white or yellow throat; but varies from almost white through yellow to dark red

No of flowers

20-48

20-50

15-40

10-20

14-50

10-40

Stigma & style

Not exserted

protruding 6 mm

Exserted > 7mm

protruding 6mm

various

Fruit shape

Irregular glebulose-gongyloid

Round to teardrop

Round

Round to oblong

Round

Round to pointed, slightly irregular

Fruit ripens

February - April
4-7months

winter 9months

 

 

winter
15months

winter
6months

winter
9months

Ovary colour

Orange-red then green

Sometimes red then green

Rarely red then green

No. of seed in fruit

(1)2-4
(-7)*

1-2(-6)

1-2(-4)

1-2

1-4

1-4
(-25)

Seed size

±10mm

±9(6-1)mm

10-18mm

9-18m

±12(9-13)mm

±12 mm

Seed membrane colour

colourless

purplish red

colourless

colourless

colourless

colourless, rarely reddish

Seed radicle

 

 

radicle produced by the germinating seed is very thin, about 1.5 mm thick

3 mm

3 mm

3 mm

Stem

non-aerial

non-aerial

aerial to 450 mm with buttress roots when growing in swampy conditions

non-aerial

aerial, up to 3 m in mature specimens

slightly aerial with age

Leaf length (mm)

600-1200

300-800

300-1200

350-900

300-600

400-900

Leaf width (mm)

30-50

25-50

30-90

25-60

35-70

25-70

Leaf median stripe

Pronounced

Moderate to weak

Weak to none

None

None

None

Leaf substance

Stiff

Stiff

Soft

Soft

Soft

Soft

Leaf texture

Rough

Slightly rough to smooth

Smooth

Smooth

Smooth

Smooth

Leaf margin

Smooth

Rough

Smooth

Smooth

Smooth

Smooth

Leaf apex

Rounded point

Indented

Rounded

Pointed

Pointed

Pointed

Leaf base

Pigmented purple red

Non-pigmented

Non-pigmented

Non-pigmented

Pigmented red to non-pigmented

Non-pigmented

*Explanation: minimum 1 seed, 2 to 4 on average, 7 maximum

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