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Adenium socotranum Vierh.
Oesterr. Bot. Z. 54: 286. 1904
Family: APOCYNACEAE

= Adenium obesum subs. socotranum (Vierh.) Lavranos
CSJA 38(1): 23, 1996

Accepted Scientific Name: Adenium obesum Roem. & Schult.
Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis [Roemer & Schultes] 4: 411. 1819

Adenium socotranum (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania
By far one of the most rare and desirable of all succulents it forms in age more of a bush than a small tree (like a dwarf baobab). The bizarre succulent stem may achieve a diameter of 2,4 metres. Apparently contradicting its strange appearance, the tree produces a mass of attractive pink flowers in the winter, as a result of which it is also known in the local language as the 'desert rose'.

Synonyms:

See all synonyms of Adenium obesum
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Accepted name in llifle Database:
Adenium obesum Roem. & Schult.
Syst. Veg., ed. 15 bis [Roemer & Schultes] 4: 411. 1819
Synonymy: 19 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Adenium obesum f. albiflorum Lodé
Fichier Encycl. Cact. Autres Succ. Ser. 15: no. 1394 (1995), without latin descr. or type;.
Synonymy: 2 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Adenium obesum subs. boehmianum (Schinz) G.D.Rowley
Repert. Pl. Succ. (I.O.S.)
Synonymy: 2 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Adenium obesum hybrid hort.

Accepted name in llifle Database:
Adenium obesum subs. oleifolium (Stapf) G.D.Rowley
Repert. Pl. Succ. (I.O.S.) 29: 3 (1978 publ. 1980).
Synonymy: 5 Accepted name in llifle Database:
Adenium obesum subs. swazicum (Stapf) G.D.Rowley
Repert. Pl. Succ. (I.O.S.)
Synonymy: 3
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Common Names include:
ENGLISH: Socotran desert rose, Aden rose of Socotra, sack-of-potatoes tree

Subspecies, varieties, forms and cultivars of plants belonging to the Adenium obesum group

  • Adenium arabicum Balf.f.: is similar in appearance to Adenium obesum, but creates a massive, more squat and fat caudex and has larger thick fleshy leaves. Distribution: Yemen and Saudi Arabia.
  • Adenium dhofarense Rzepecky: Has large, leathery and glossy leaves and very small flowers. Distribution: Dhofar coast (Oman) and adjacent mountains of Yemen.
  • Adenium obesum Roem. & Schult.: The trunk will get up to one meter in diameter, and the plant will grow op to five meters.
  • Adenium obesum f. albiflorum Lodé
  • Adenium boehmianumAdenium obesum subs. boehmianum (Schinz) G.D.Rowley: The flowers are similar to those of A. swazicum but the leaves are broader pale grayish-green.
  • Adenium obesum subs. oleifolium (Stapf) G.D.Rowley: succulent shrublet 12-40 cm high from a subterranean rootstock. It has long, narrow leaves frequently folded along the midrib. Distribution: Botswana, Namibia and S. Africa.
  • Adenium obesum subs. socotranum (Vierh.) Lavranos: It is the giant of the genus, forming a massive conical trunk/caudex several metres tall and up to 2.4 m in diameter. It resembles a miniature baobab.
  • Adenium obesum subs. socotranum f. cristata hort.: crested form.
  • Adenium obesum subs. somalense (Balf.f.) G.D.Rowley
  • Adenium obesum subs. swazicum (Stapf) G.D.Rowley: It is a dwarf shrub, up to 30 cm high, with an enlarged succulent stem with few branches. The caudex is evident only in young specimens.
  • Adenium somalense var. crispum Chiov.: is a dwarf form of A. somalense (less than 30 cm tall) with white flowers heavily striped with red or completely red and a large underground napiform caudex. Distribution: Coast of southern Somalia.


28566 plantemania © Plantemania
Adenium socotranum (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania
28560 plantemania © Plantemania
Adenium socotranum (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania

28562 plantemania © Plantemania
Adenium socotranum (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania
28563 plantemania © Plantemania
By far one of the most rare and desirable of all succulents it forms in age more of a bush than a small tree (like a dwarf baoba (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania

28567 plantemania © Plantemania
In habitat on the rock. (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania
28628 plantemania © Plantemania
Adenium socotranum (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania

28597 plantemania © Plantemania
Adenium socotranum (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania
28598 plantemania © Plantemania
Adenium socotranum seed pod. (Adenium obesum subs. socotranum) Photo by: © Plantemania

Your Photos

by Valentino Vallicelli
Adenium socotranum. In culture,
by Valentino Vallicelli
By far one of the most rare and desirable of all succulents.
by Valentino Vallicelli

by Giuseppe Distefano

by © Plantemania
There are a total of 19 Photos.
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