Ruschianthus

Tufted, compact perennials; rootstock woody or tuberous and old stems covered with dry leaf bases; flowering branches usually with 4 leaves, pale green and finely rough-papillate. Leaves falcate, much deeper than broad, flat above, lower surface keeled in upper half and rounded towards base, pinkish grey-green, waxy; epidermis with slightly papillate to +/- flat cells, subsidiary cells raised, outer epidermal wall with a thick layer of crystal sand. Flowers 1-3-nate, with short peduncle and foliaceous bracts at base; opening around midday, after a few days flowers do not close again. Sepals 5, keeled, acuminate, inner ones with narrow, membranous margins; fused at base to form short hypanthium. Petals several-seriate, connate at base, obtuse, not spreading widely due to position of flower amongst leaves, pale lemon-yellow to white. Stamens and staminodes 8-seriate; anterior filaments without papillae, posterior ones with papillae; petals, stamens and staminodes positioned on thick, swollen, ring-shaped cushion above hypanthium in which copious amounts of nectar accumulate. Nectary of 5 slightly separated crenulate glands. Ovary obconic, concave from outer rim; placentas parietal; stigmas 5, subulate, incurved. Fruit a capsule of Delosperma type; with a slightly raised basal placenta; with narrow valve wings; covering membranes 0; closing bodies 0; stalk elongates as fruit ripens. Seeds light brown, oval. F lowering in winter. D istinguishing characters: compact perennials with sickle-shaped, smooth leaves; flowers with hypanthium; petals greenish white.