Kalanchoe Adans.

Crassulaceae, R. Fernandes. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Habit

Biennial or perennial or sometimes annual succulent herbs often with subrosulate leaves and scape-like inflorescence-axes, sometimes undershrubs or shrubs.

Leaves

Leaves usually opposite and decussate, connate at the base, the lower more or less approximate, the uppermost bract-like, sessile or petiolate; lamina undivided or rarely pinnatifid, entire, crenate or serrate, usually flat, sometimes semiterete, fleshy-succulent, sometimes thin.

Inflorescences

Inflorescences terminal, panicle- or corymb-like or thyrsoid, composed of cymes, usually many-flowered.

Flowers

Flowers 4-merous, erect, 4; pedicellate, medium-sized or ± large.

Calyx

Calyx shorter than or sometimes equalling the corolla-tube, completely green or lineolate with purple or red; sepals nearly free or more or less connate, rarely up to or beyond the middle.

Corolla

Corolla gamopetalous along at least the lower 2/3; tube ± distinctly 4-angled, rounded and swollen near the base, usually constricted upwards; lobes 4, spreading or reflexed or erect and sometimes connivent, ± succulent, sometimes minutely papillose above, usually apiculate.

Stamens

Stamens 8, usually included; filaments ± connate with the corolla-tube, free above the middle of the tube; anthers ovate or oblong.

Carpels

Carpels 4, slightly connate at the base; styles usually shorter than the ovaries.

Seeds

Seeds numerous, oblong, with longitudinally rugose tegument.

Nectaries

Scales semi-orbicular to linear, entire, crenulate or ± emarginate at the top.

Crassulaceae, G.E. Wickens. Flora of Tropical East Africa. 1987

Habit

Perennial herbs, erect or ascending, fleshy

Leaves

Leaves opposite, simple or imparipinnate, often bearing bulbils along the margin

Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal or terminal and axillary paniculate cymes; flowers 4-merous, pedicellate, pendulous

Calyx

Calyx cylindrical or globose-campanulate to globose-inflated, shortly 4-fid, persistent, accrescent in fruit

Corolla

Corolla cylindrical-gibbous or subcampanulate to urceolate; lobes spreading

Stamens

Stamens 8, in 2 series, inserted near the base of the corolla-tube; filaments filiform

Nectaries

Nectary scales 4, oblong

Carpels

Carpels 4, distinct or slightly connate at the base, shorter than the style; ovules numerous.

Crassulaceae, R. Fernandes. Flora Zambesiaca 7:1. 1983

Habit

Succulent herbs, undershrubs or shrubs, usually with erect stem.

Leaves

Leaves opposite, verticillate or alternate, simple and unlobed or lobed to pinnatifid or sometimes pinnate, usually petiolate, rarely sessile, flat or sometimes terete, ± fleshy-succulent.

Inflorescences

Inflorescence terminal, usually corymb-like, loose to dense, few-to many-flowered, rarely panicle-like.

Flowers

Flowers 4-merous, large, in ± long pedicels, usually pendulous, brightly coloured.

Calyx

Calyx shorter than the corolla; sepals 4, rarely free, usually ± connate below, sometimes into a ± long cylindric, campanulate or swollen-urceolate tube.

Corolla

Corolla gamopetalous; tube subcylindric or urceolate, ± distinctly 4-angled, straight or slightly curved; lobes ovate, triangular or semicircular, usually shorter than the corolla-tube, spreading or reflexed.

Stamens

Stamens 8, inserted at the base or below the middle of corolla-tube; filaments ± exserted.

Carpels

Carpels 4, ± connate below; styles longer than the ovaries, usually exserted.

Fruits

Follicles with numerous seeds.

Seeds

Seeds oblong or obovoid with rugulose tegument.

Nectaries

Scales semicircular, quadrate or linear.