# Acrodon
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{{Short description|Genus of succulents}}
{{Automatic taxobox
| image = Acrodon bellidiflorus illustration.jpeg
| image_caption = ''[Acrodon bellidiflorus](/source/Acrodon_bellidiflorus)'', illustration from ''Plantarum historia succulentarum'', 1802.
| display_parents = 2
| taxon = Acrodon
| authority = [N.E.Br.](/source/Nicholas_Edward_Brown)[{{cite web | url=http://www.theplantlist.org/1.1/browse/A/Aizoaceae/Acrodon/ | title=Acrodon — the Plant List }}]
| type_species = Acrodon bellidiflorus
| type_species_authority = (L.) N.E.Br.
}}
'''''Acrodon''''' is a genus of [ice plants](/source/Aizoaceae) from [South Africa](/source/South_Africa). It comprises five species, mostly endangered and all restricted to the southern Cape regions of the [Western Cape](/source/Western_Cape) and [Eastern Cape](/source/Eastern_Cape) Provinces, [South Africa](/source/South_Africa).[{{cite web | url=http://redlist.sanbi.org/genus.php?genus=125 | title=Threatened Species Programme | SANBI Red List of South African Plants }}]
==Description==
Species of ''Acrodon'' form dense, low mats or tufts of growth, and their leaves are triangular in cross-section.
Another distinctive feature is that the leaves and flowers have a few tiny teeth along the ends of their margins and keels.
The white or pink flowers often have striped petals. The fruits are solid and persistent, with five deep locules.[Vlok, J. and Schutte-Vlok, A. 2010. ''Plants of the Klein Karoo''. Umdaus Press, Hatfield.]
== History ==
Initially, Acrodon consisted of just one species - ''[Acrodon bellidiflorus](/source/Acrodon_bellidiflorus).'' A closer examination of ''[Ruschia](/source/Ruschia)'' in 1986, however, found that several species shared traits with ''Acrodon bellidiflorus,'' resulting in them being moved to the genus ''Acrodon.'' Specifically, species in ''Acrodon'' had a more compact growth for while those in ''Ruschia'' formed shrubs, and ''Acrodon'' species had evenly spaced petals while ''Ruschia'' species had petals in five bundles. ''[{{Cite journal |last=Glen |first=H. F. |date=1986-10-28 |title=Numerical taxonomic studies in the subtribe Ruschiinae (Mesem-bryanthemaceae) — Astridia, Acrodon and Ebracteola |url=https://journals.abcjournal.aosis.co.za/index.php/abc/article/view/1088 |journal=Bothalia |volume=16 |issue=2 |pages=203–226 |doi=10.4102/abc.v16i2.1088 |issn=2311-9284|doi-access=free }}]''
A later examination of ''Acrodon'', specifically of the fruits, however, found that ''Acrodon'' likely consists of at least two distinct genera - ''Acrodon'' and ''[Brianhuntleya](/source/Brianhuntleya)''. The species of ''Acrodon'' species have funnel-shaped capsule base while those of ''Brianhuntleya'' have flat capsule bases. These two fruit types require different positionings and orientations on and of the stalk holding them.[{{Cite journal |last=Hartmann |first=Heidrun E.K. |last2=Niesler |first2=Ingeborg M. |date=2012 |title=A Gordion knot in Ruschioideae (Aizoaceae): Acrodon and Brianhuntleya in an attempt to disentangle the confusion |url=http://www.bioone.org/doi/10.25223/brad.n30.2012.a8 |journal=Bradleya |language=en |volume=30 |issue=30 |pages=33–60 |doi=10.25223/brad.n30.2012.a8 |issn=0265-086X|url-access=subscription }}]
== Species ==
The following species are recognised as of January 2023:[{{GBIF |id= 3231699|taxon= ''Acrodon'' |accessdate=23 January 2023}}]
*''[Acrodon bellidiflorus](/source/Acrodon_bellidiflorus)'' (L.) N.E.Br. A common [Renosterveld](/source/Renosterveld) species that extends from [Hermanus](/source/Hermanus) to [Oudtshoorn](/source/Oudtshoorn).[[http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=125-1 ''Acrodon bellidiflorus'' - SANBI]]
*''[Acrodon caespitosus](/source/Acrodon_caespitosus)'' H.E.K.Hartmann (Synonyms: ''Acrodon duplessiae'' (Bolus) Glen)[{{GBIF |id= 5555077|taxon= ''Acrodon bellidiflorus'' |accessdate=23 January 2023}}]
*''[Acrodon deminutus](/source/Acrodon_deminutus)'' Klak. A rarer species restricted to quartz-fields in the [Eastern Rûens Shale Renosterveld](/source/Eastern_R%C3%BBens_Shale_Renosterveld) and [Potberg Ferricrete Fynbos](/source/Potberg_Ferricrete_Fynbos) vegetation types.[[http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=125-10 ''Acrodon deminutus'' - SANBI]]
*''[Acrodon parvifolius](/source/Acrodon_parvifolius)'' R.du Plessis. An endangered species restricted to quartz and silcrete patches near to the coast, in the [Botrivier](/source/Botrivier) area.[[http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=125-5 ''Acrodon parvifolius'' - SANBI]]
*''[Acrodon subulatus](/source/Acrodon_subulatus)'' (Mill.) N.E.Br. An endangered species restricted to shale [Renosterveld](/source/Renosterveld)s in the far western Overberg.[[http://redlist.sanbi.org/species.php?species=125-6 ''Acrodon subulatus'' - SANBI]] (Synonymns: ''Acrodon leptophyllus'' (Bolus) Glen)[{{GBIF |id= 5555063|taxon= ''Acrodon subulatus'' |accessdate=23 January 2023}}]
The following were previously included in ''Acrodon'' but have been moved to other genera:
*''Acrodon purpureostylus'' (L.Bolus) Burgoyne - now ''[Brianhuntleya purpureostyla](/source/Brianhuntleya_purpureostyla)'' (L.Bolus) H.E.K.Hartmann[{{GBIF |id= 8680116|taxon= ''Acrodon purpureostylus'' |accessdate=23 January 2023}}]
*''Acrodon quarcicola'' H.E.K.Hartmann - now ''[Brianhuntleya quarcicola](/source/Brianhuntleya_quarcicola)'' (H.E.K.Hartmann) H.E.K.Hartmann[{{GBIF |id= 5555065|taxon= ''Acrodon quarcicola'' |accessdate=23 January 2023}}]
==Relatives==
This species has historically been confused with Ruschia.