Kalanchoe, Smith, Gideon F., 2025

Kalanchoe View in CoL [subg. Bryophyllum sect. Invasores ] ser. Invasores Gideon F.Sm., ser. nov.

Type:— Kalanchoe delagoensis Ecklon & Zeyher (1837: 305) ( Fig. 1 View FIGURE 1 ), here designated. Kalanchoe delagoensis is also the type of K. [subg. Bryophyllum ] sect. Invasores.

Designations not validly published:—“ Kalanchoe [sect. Bryophyllum ] subsect. Bulbilliferae ” Boiteau (1947: 8), nom. inval. ( Turland et al. 2018: Art. 39.1), by inference because included species were not explicitly stated.

“ Kalanchoe View in CoL [sect. Bryophyllum View in CoL ] [infragen. unranked, as an (unnumbered) “§”] Bulbilliferae ” Boiteau & Mannoni (1949a: 14), nom. inval. ( Turland et al. 2018: Art. 39.1), pro parte, excluding K. daigremontiana Raymond-Hamet & Perrier de la Bâthie (1914: 128) View in CoL [see also Boiteau & Mannoni (1949b: 43–44)].

Informally proposed “Groupe” not intended as a name sensu Turland et al. (2018: Art. 6.3):—Groupe VI. Bulbilliferae Boiteau & Allorge-Boiteau (1995: 16 [page not numbered], 89), pro parte, excluding K. daigremontiana View in CoL .

Included taxa:—One species. [1] K. delagoensis Ecklon & Zeyher (1837: 305) (see Smith 2024d for a discussion).

Diagnosis:— Kalanchoe delagoensis , the only species included in K. ser. Invasores, differs from the other taxa included in K. sect. Invasores, i.e., those included in K. ser. Fruticosa , K. ser. Herbacea , and K. ser. Vilana, by a combination of characters, including that plants are generally biennial; thin- stem med, and erect to leaning; have sessile, terete, cylindrical to very narrowly oblong leaves that are tricussately arranged; an inflorescence that is a dense-flowered, head-shaped to rounded thyrse; and flowers that are various shades of red to orange, with corolla tubes that are slightly enlarged basally or basally as well as at the level of the ovaries and slightly constricted above the level of the ovaries, enlarged in the middle, and slightly flared towards the mouth. Bulbil production is constitutive in K. ser. Invasores.

Description:—Biennial or, rarely, multi-annual, erect to leaning to procumbent, glabrous, somewhat brittle, succulent, herb-like, to 2 m tall when in flower; unbranched or very rarely sparsely branched or suckering near base, with stems terminating in an inflorescence. Stem generally weak, rather thin, light yellowish brown to yellowish grey to brownish grey, usually erect or toppling over under weight of leaves and inflorescence. Leaves many, tricussate, sparsely arranged, generally evenly spaced throughout, slanted away from branches at ± 45°, succulent, glabrous, sessile, bluish to purplish to brownish green to grey-green with irregular dark green or bluish purple mottling, somewhat waxy; petiole absent; blade terete, cylindrical to very narrowly oblong, often grooved above; base slightly narrowed; apex with several small, conical teeth, with bulbils constitutively produced on short, duct-like pedestals, also once leaves are detached. Inflorescence a terminal, apically branched, many-flowered, head-shaped to rounded thyrse, erect, peduncle short, straight, non-flori-bulbiliferous until post-anthesis, then sometimes bulbiliferous; pedicels prominent, glabrous. Flowers tetramerous, pendent, glabrous, waxy bloom ± absent, subtended by small bracts that soon shrivel, corolla much exceeding calyx at anthesis, papery when dry, drying purplish brown, buds yellowish; calyx shorter than corolla, very slightly balloon-like inflated; sepals basally fused for ± ⅓ of their lengths, free portion elongated-triangular, acute-tipped, obscuring lower ± ¼ to ⅓ of corolla tube, light greenish red, red-infusion more prominent towards tip, red arranged in feint longitudinal lines, creamy to purplish when young; corolla tube various shades of red, from crimson to deep orange to yellowish orange, ± campanulate, enlarged basally or basally as well as at level of ovaries, slightly constricted above level of ovaries, enlarged in middle, slightly flared towards mouth; corolla lobes subcircular to obovate, apically obtuse-rounded, minutely apiculate. Stamens inserted very low-down in corolla tube at ± same level as carpels, included to hardly exserted; filaments thin, light greenish red, basally light green; anthers visible at mouth; pollen yellowish grey. Pistil consisting of 4 carpels; carpels light shiny green; nectar scales ± rectangularrounded to square, free, rounded to flat to slightly indented above. Chromosome number: 2 n = 68 [tetraploid] ( Smith 2022b: 159, 171–173).