Cheiridopsis cuprea - 10 Seed Pack - Indigenous Succulent Mesemb -Combined Global Shipping- NEW

The genus name Cheiridopsis was derived from the Greek words cheiris, meaning sheath, and opsis, which means resembling. This refers to the thin white papery leaf sheaths which cover the next pair of leaves. The sheaths are formed from the previous year’s leaves that have withered away during the dormant resting period. Only a third of the species belonging to the Cheiridopsis genus form leaf sheaths so it is not a distinguishing characteristic. What’s more is that cultivated specimens may not form sheaths at all and Cheiridopsis is such a variable genus that no obvious feature is found in all species.

The Cheiridopsis genus is placed in the Aizoaceae family and in the past more than 100 species were recognized, but nowadays it has been reduced to about 33 species. Cheiridopsis species are known to be floriferous and many species have beautiful flowers that are scented and open around midday and close at sunset. Cheiridopsis are mostly indigenous succulent mesembs that have a distribution range from Luderitz, in Namibia, southwards through the Richtersveld and Namaqualand in the Northern Cape Province to the northern parts of the Western Cape Province of South Africa where it is found growing among Conophytum, Dinteranthus, Fenestraria, Lithops, Schwantesia, Titanopsis, Antimima, Cephalophyllum and Astridia, to name but a few. They do very well in pots and window succulent gardens.

Cheiridopsis cuprea grows in open Succulent Karroo on quartz flats or in sandy loamy depressions together with species of the genera Argyroderma, Monilaria, Oophytum and Dactylopsis. Precipitation ranges from 100-200 mm per annum; mainly in winter (August). It is a somewhat limp-leaved species with large flowers with many thin petals ranging in colour from salmon to coppery or magenta with paler centre.