Dorstenia gypsophila (Dorstenia gypsophila)

Description

Dorstenia gypsophila is an extremely rare caudiciform because it is difficult to grow. Each plant has a unique shape with a withered looking exterior. The stem is up to 20 inches (50 cm) in diameter and up to 8.2 feet (2,5 m) tall. Flowers are light brown in color. Dorstenia is a predominately Old and New World plant genus within the Mulberry family or Moraceae. Depending on the author, there are said to be 100 to 170 species within this genus, second only in number to the Ficus genus in the Moraceae. Dorstenia species are mainly known for their unusual inflorescences and growth habits. Dorstenia is named in honor of the German physician and botanist Theodor Dorsten (1492–1552). The type species is Dorstenia contrajerva. The most striking characteristic of Dorstenia is their reproductive structure, called pseudanthium (Greek for "false flower") or in Moraceae hypanthium, which is composed of clusters of tiny unisexual flowers on a disc- or cup-shaped receptacle that are often adorned with bracts of various sizes and shapes. The pseudanthiums can be planar, convex, concave, round, oval, square, lobed, twig, star, boot, or tongue-shaped. Their color varies from green to yellowish and reddish to violet and brown. Beneath the pseudanthium, there are usually bracts, scattered or in rows, sometimes carrying appendages. Sometimes the bracts are absent and only their remaining tooth-shaped, awl-like, spatula-shaped or band-shaped appendages are recognizable. The globular, tapered, or warty flowers are unisexual. The female flowers within the receptacle mature first. The male flowers are either scattered between the female flowers or are concentrated on the outer edge of the receptacle or are separated by a flower-free zone at the outer edge. They are stalked and carry one to four (usually two to three) free or almost free tepals and one to four (usually two to three) stamens. The sunken female flowers carry tubular tepals and a free fruit node with one or two, then mostly unequal scars. The stone fruits are embedded in the broadened inflorescence axis and when mature are scattered by a centrifugal mechanism . Like most members of the Moraceae, Dorstenia species have drupe like fruits that are embedded in the receptable. However, a special feature of Dorstenia drupes is that they explode to release and scatter the seeds by way of a centrifugal mechanism. The stone seeds are usually small with a minuscule endosperm.