Pseudolithos


Pseudolithos is a genus of succulent flowering plants of the family Apocynaceae, indigenous to arid areas of Somalia, Yemen and Oman.

Description and naming

The plants were first described as a genus in 1965; the name "Pseudo-lithos" means "false-stone" and refers to their pebble-like appearance. It was originally proposed as Lithocaulon earlier in 1956, but this name was already in use for a genus of fossil algae. All species in this genus are highly succulent, small in size, and exhibit tessellation on their stems' surface. Their small flowers appear on the spherical body's surface.
;Species
picturespeciesdistribution
Pseudolithos caput-viperae
Lavranos
Somalia
Pseudolithos cubiformis
P.R.O. Bally
N Somalia
Pseudolithos dodsonianus
Bruyns & Meve
Somalia & Oman
Pseudolithos gigas
Dioli
E Ethiopia
Pseudolithos harardheranus
Dioli
Somalia
Pseudolithos horwoodii
P.R.O. Bally & Lavranos
Somalia
Pseudolithos mccoyi
Lavranos
Yemen & Oman
Pseudolithos migiurtinus
P.R.O. Bally
S + C Somalia
Pseudolithos sphaericus
P.R.O. Bally
N Somalia

Taxonomy

Phylogenetic studies have shown the genus to be monophyletic, and most closely related to the widespread Caralluma stapeliads of North Africa. Marginally more distantly related is a sister branch comprising the genera Echidnopsis and Rhytidocaulon.