#cyphostemma

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Cyphostemma juttae

Cyphostemma is a genus in the Vitaceae, or Grape Family, well known for how enormous their swollen bases can get. This one is Cyphostemma juttae, from Namibia, and its large succulent leaves are present from spring to fall, during its growing season, but they are shed during the winter. The tiny flowers are not showy, but they are followed by round red fruits that look like grapes, but they are poisonous. A wonderful botanical curiosity.

-Brian

[botaniqueer]

Cyphostemma juttae, a caudiciform grape family remember with semi-succulent leaves. (43 months)

[kouji-yamamoto]

*200623 ・ ・ 去年の葉を残しながら…🌱 ・ ・ あしたは10年前に竣工した建物の施主に会いに行きます。今思えば独立したての僕によくぞ依頼してくれたという思いで感謝しかない… そのご主人は昨年他界され、奥さまへの挨拶と建物の点検をしてほしいという依頼で伺います。 ・ 植物同様、長い付き合いがこの仕事の醍醐味です^ ^ ・ ・ #cyphostemma #betiforme #キフォステンマ #ベティフォルメ #メオトフォルメ #caudex #succulent #cactus #塊根植物 #多肉植物 #サボテン #ボタニカルライフ #植物のある暮らし #植育 #ペリペリ同好会 #建築 #10年点検 #設計 https://www.instagram.com/p/CB0FVqPFGia/?igshid=1o4svkd1tlial

[morphons]

African plants in the central bed of the Small Succulents House. Munich Botanical Garden, May 2019.

[thesingingcactus]

I love strange plants. The stranger the better. Caudex plants sure fit that category. I recently noticed that my Cyphostemma 'Fat Bastard' is making food bodies to attract beneficial insects. How cool is that?!

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Cyphostemma juttae

When we think of succulent plants, grapes don't usually come to mind. But they have relatives in the genus Cyphostemma that have greatly enlarged stems, as can be seen in the photo above of Cyphostemma juttae, native to southern Namibia. It sheds its leaves in winter, leaving the swollen base on full display, but in summer it puts out many huge leaves that partially obscure the stem. At this time of year, after the new leaves have emerged, but before they have become large and numerous enough to hide the stem, the plant comes into flower. The flowers are quite small, but attractive to bees.

-Brian

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Cyphostemma juttae

The genus Cyphostemma belongs to the family Vitaceae (the Grape Family), and it includes plants with dramatically swollen stems such as the Cyphostemma juttae pictured here. The large fleshy leaves are winter-deciduous, so the large peely-bark stem is on full display during the winter months. The small yellow flowers appear in spring and summer (though they are not really showy), and the fruits follow, turning red-orange as they mature. Although the fruits bear some resemblance to grapes, they are reported to be poisonous. Native to Namibia.

-Brian

[ruthbancroftgarden]

Cyphostemma juttae

Cyphostemma is a genus in the Grape Family (Vitaceae), notable for the greatly enlarged base seen in most of the species. As can be seen in the photo, the large fleshy leaves largely hide this base during the summer growing season, but they are shed in the winter, so that the fat peely-bark stem is on full display. The relationship to grapes can be seen in the attractive fruits, but these are poisonous in Cyphostemma, so they are not used to make wine! Cyphostemma juttae is native to southern Namibia.

-Brian