Prenia

Prostrate to erect subshrubs with fibrous roots; branches weakly lignified, green parts of stem becoming dry and remaining on stem as a thick whitish layer, smooth. Leaves decussate or becoming alternate in inflorescences, shortly fused towards bases, +/- flat, somewhat triquetrous, or subcylindrical, with a thick wax layer which can easily be wiped off. Flowers in bracteose dichasia, 20-40 mm in diameter; open in daylight. Sepals 4 or 5, fused at base into a short tube. Petals white, yellow or pink; petals, stamens and staminodes fused into a short tube towards bases. Staminodes present. Nectary consisting of 4 separate grooves. Ovary with axile placentas. Fruit a 4-locular capsule of Mesembryanthemum type, lower part funnel-shaped with deep locules; expanding keels extending to centre of fruit; covering membranes 0; valve wings present. Seeds D- or kidney-shaped, +/- 1.3 mm long, black, without or with indistinct crest, surface rough. x = 9 ( polyploidy). F lowering from spring through summer to autumn. D istinguishing characters: soft, smooth, creeping (except P. sladeniana (L.Bolus) L.Bolus) stems.