International Succulent Introductions Plant Introductions of the Huntington Botanical Gardens (published in the Cactus and Succulent Journal) Vol. 78 (2), March - April, 2006 Othonna protecta Dinter

Photo © 2006 by John Trager. Images may not be used elsewhere without permission. Alternate pictures: (Click to enlarge) (Photos of Othonna protecta habitat)   ISI 2006-29. Othonna protecta Dinter. This composite (Asteraceae) bears small yellow daisy-like heads of flowers and is a prolific producer of seeds and seedlings in our shade house. It is surprising that it has not become more widely established in cultivation, as it occurs scattered across Namaqualand north through the Richtersveld into Namibia. Though rarely cultivated, or even illustrated, it did appear in this Journal in Graham Williamson’s article about rock-garden habitats (Vol. 74: 278 – 284, 2002). It rapidly develops a flask-shaped caudex topped by slender, lax stems that can be pinched to maintain a compact specimen, though the stems naturally die back to the caudex during summer dormancy. HBG 94019, seedlings from J. Trager et al. 97-165, three plants and seed coll. Aug. 16, 1997, atop a koppie just N of Klipbok in the eastern Richtersveld, ca. 15 km SE of Eksteenfontein, N. Cape, S. Africa. $5.

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