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Accepted Scientific Name: Dinteranthus pole-evansii (N.E.Br.) Schwantes
Z. Sukkulentenk. ii. 184 (1926)
Origin and Habitat: Prieska region, Northern parts of Northern Cape. South Africa
Habitat: Dinteranthus pole-evansiiSN|11222]]SN|11222]] grows in very dry areas on the Nama Karoo deserts, on sandy soils associated with quartz stones and pebbles. It mimics the chalky-white quartz pebbles of is background. In habitat it count fewer than 1000 mature individuals occurring at two locations. It is potentially threatened by overgrazing.
Synonyms:
- Dinteranthus pole-evansii (N.E.Br.) Schwantes
- Mesembryanthemum pole-evansii (N.E.Br.) Schwantes
- Rimaria pole-evansii N.E.Br.
ENGLISH: Golf Ball Plant, Ping-pong Balls
Description: Dinteranthus pole-evansiiSN|11222]]SN|11222]] is a solitary or clumping species with chalky white bodies that looks like golf balls. This particular species has a rough surface and is one of the most attractive of the 'stemless' mesembs and very priced by collectors.
Bodies (paired leaves): Up to 4-5 cm high, 2-2,4 cm thick, wider over their widest extension than high and usually solitary. Leaves united for more than half their length, rather rough, grey often tinged with red and yellow, without dots. The undersides are strongly rounded and slightly keeled. The upper or inner surface are flat and more or
Flowers: Daisy like, bi-coloured glossy yellow and white, 3-4 cm in diameter and bractless. Sepals 8 or 9. Petals of outer series white, of inner series yellow. Stigmas 8-13.
Blooming season: Spring.
fruits: The seed pod is 8-15 locular.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Hermann Jacobsen “A handbook of succulent plants: descriptions, synonyms, and cultural details for succulents other than Cactaceae” Volume 1, Blandford Press, 1960
2) Stuart Max Walters “The European garden flora. 3.[Angiospermae], Dicotyledons. [Casuarinaceae to Aristolochiaceae]” Cambridge University Press, 1989
3) “Dinteranthus pole-evansii” in: Flowering Plants of Africa 45: t. 1778A 1978
4) Japan Succulent Society (Author) “Colour Encyclopedia of Succulents” f. 660 1981
5) Ed Storms “Growing the Mesembs” Tarrant Printing, 1976
6) Barkhuizen "Succulents of southern Africa." 1981
7) Court "Succulent flora of southern Africa" 1981
8) Rolf Rawé “Succulents in the veld” Howard Timmins, 1968
9) Sean. Hogan “Flora” Timber Press, 2003
10) Hilton-Taylor, C. 1996. “Red data list of southern African plants.” Strelitzia 4. South African National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.
11) Raimondo, D., von Staden, L., Foden, W., Victor, J.E., Helme, N.A., Turner, R.C., Kamundi, D.A. and Manyama, P.A. 2009. “Red List of South African Plants.” Strelitzia 25. South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria.
12) Burgoyne, P.M. & Daniels, F. 2005. “Dinteranthus pole-evansii (N.E.Br.) Schwantes.” National Assessment: Red List of South African Plants version 2013.1. Accessed on 2013/07/27
Rimaria pole-evansii (Dinteranthus pole-evansii) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Rimaria pole-evansii (Dinteranthus pole-evansii) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Rimaria pole-evansii (Dinteranthus pole-evansii) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Rimaria pole-evansii (Dinteranthus pole-evansii) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Rimaria pole-evansii (Dinteranthus pole-evansii) Photo by: Cactus Art
Rimaria pole-evansii (Dinteranthus pole-evansii) Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Cultivation and Propagation: Dinteranthus pole-evansii are summer growing species with dry rest period over winter but they do not shows an apparent dormant season like Lithops. Paying attention to the particular growing requirement of Dinteranthus is especially important. If you provide the Dinteranthus with the right conditions, they will reward you with their unique shape, size, colour and a proliferation of blooms in autumn. However, Dinteranthus are tricky plants that are very particular about their growing conditions and require the right maintenance in order to keep happy. But don't be afraid even the best growers have plants that mysteriously dry up, or leave during the night. While Dinteranthus are picky about their care, if you are patient and remember the basics, your efforts will be rewarded. Being small plants, a representative collection can be grown on a patio table, a sunny windowsill or a shelf in the greenhouse.
Growing rate: Slow growing for a mesemb.
Soil: Easy to grow they need a very open mineral, fast draining mix with little compost and a high degree of grit, coarse sand, small lava gravel or pebbles. They can grow outdoor in sunny, dry, rock crevices (protection against winter wet is required) They can also be cultivated in alpine house, in poor, drained soil.
Repotting: Keep them in small pots as solitary clumps or as colonies in large, shallow terracotta seed pans. Dinteranthus may stay in the same pot for many years. Plants grown in larger containers have frequently relatively poor flowers. Flowers might improve when the plants are given their own, small individual pots. Cool pots are required to keep roots alive.
Exposition: Give them the maximum amount of light you are able to give them, but care should be taken about exposing them to the full blast of the sun rays in summer (The only exception to this is seedlings in their first year that enjoy a shades place). Such tiny plants can easily get scorched or broiled and their appearance spoiled (this may not matter in the wild, where the Dinteranthus have probably shrunk into the ground and becomes covered with sands).
Basic watering routine: Gives some water all year, more in Spring and again in autumn. Keep rather dry during coldest winter month and start watering regularly after the old leaves completely dry. (Usually late March or Early April) Water freely during the growing season, soak the compost fully but allow it to dry out between waterings. Nearly all problems occur as a result of overwatering and poor ventilation especially when weather conditions are dull and cool or very humid. In summer Dintheranthus needs to bake in the sun to bring out its beautiful chalky-white colouring, with just enough moisture to prevent shrivelling. If too much water is supplied the plants will grow out of character, bloat, split and rot. When in doubt DON'T WATER. Where the resting season is in the winter and central heating gives very dry air in the home, give a light top spray once a week to simulate the desert dew and prevent excessive dehydration. After flowering in the summer and extending through winter season the plant doesn’t need watering, but they will still be growing, the new bodies will be increasing in size extracting water from the outer succulent leaves, allowing them to shrivel away. In fact the plant in this time extracts water and nutrient stored in the outer succulent leaves, allowing them to dehydrate relocating the water to the rest of the plant and to the new leaves that form during this period until the old leaves are reduced to nothing more than "thin papery shells".
Fertilization: Feed them once during the growing season with a fertilizer specifically formulated for cactus and succulents (high potash fertilizer with a dilute low nitrogen), including all micro nutrients and trace elements diluted to ½ the strength recommended on the label. They thrive in poor soils and need a limited supplies of fertilizer to avoid the plants developing excess vegetation, which is easily attacked by fungal diseases. Some growers fertilize frequently, some hardly ever. However, for the highly succulent mesembs, (Lithops, Conophytums, etc.) fertilization is not really necessary.
Hardiness: Overwinter them preferably not below 5° C (But will take a light frost and are hardy down to -7° C for short periods if they are in dry soil). USDA zones 9A – 11.
Uses: Container, rock garden.
Pests and diseases: They are vulnerable to mealybugs and rarely scale.
Propagation: Seeds and offsets. The small seeds can be sown in pots of fine, well-drained sand, any time during the spring and summer months when temperatures are warm. Seeds require high temperatures for germination. Cover the seeds with a very fine layer of grit and water from below with a fungicide to prevent damping off. For the first 3-4 days cover the pots with a sheet of glass/clear perspex to keep the humidity levels high. Remove the glass and replace it with light shadecloth and mist once or twice a day for the next two weeks after which most seeds should have germinated. From then on mistings can be reduced to every second and then every third day as the little plants grow. Take the cuttings from a grown-up mother plant. Each cutting must contain one or more heads along with a fraction of root and permit them to dry out a couple of days, lay the cuttings on the soil and insert the stem end partially into the soil. Try to keep the cutting somewhat upright so that the roots are able to grow downward. It is relatively difficult to root Dinteranthus from cuttings and generally pointless as well, so quick are they from seed.
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