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1. Cactus spines are modified leaves. However, they don’t function like typical leaves—they have no stomata and don’t respire. 2. The blossoms of Aloe marlothii and many other succulent plants provide nourishing nectar for hummingbirds and other wildlife. 3. What makes the leaves of a felt plant Kalanchoe beharensis feel so soft? A covering of nearly microscopic, silica hairs that also help deter predators.
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4. The white, powdery wax on the leaf surface of Dudleya brittonii reflects UV rays and helps the plant preserve moisture. It also earned this succulent the common name of chalk plant.
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5. The long, overlapping spines of Untia biglovii protect the plant’s flesh from hungry animals and create a sort of shade structure to keep excess sun and heat away. 6. The succulent popularly called donkey’s tail Sedum morganium has a trailing growth habit that gives it the ability to grow on steep cliff faces in the wild, where many other plants can’t. 7. Commonly called living stones, members of the Lithops genus grow low to the ground, blending in with rocks in their habitat. Each lobe of one of these plants measures just 1/4 inch in diameter.
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JUNE 2014
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