Antimima evoluta Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Origin and Habitat: Namaqualand, Northern Cape,Vanrhynsdorp, Vredendal, Western Cape, Republic of South Africa.
Altitude: 200-400 metres above sea level.
Habitat: The plants perches and anchors themselves in crevices in quartz and limestone rocks mixed with marble and conserves moisture in their succulent bodies. Annual precipitation is approximately 100 mm, mostly in winter. It grows sympatrically with Antimima dualis, Antimima fenestrata, and Antimima turneriana.
Synonyms:
Description: Antimima evolutaSN|19550]]SN|19550]] is a very diminutive succulent shrub forming a compact caespitose cushion with densely, compressed leaves and bearing small purple flowers.
Stem: Short, basally branched with the remnants of old dry leaves. Internodes extremely reduced.
Bodies (Paired leaves): Semi-globose, silvery green, waxed, about 4 mm long, and 4 mm in diameter with age. It has leaves of two form on the same plant or stem (heterophyllous) one leaf-pair with a smooth surface forming a white body in the resting state, the keel markedly smooth, the margins ciliate, this leaf-pair completely embracing the subsequent one with longer free parts with short papillae on them. More than one free leaf-pair can be formed per season.
Flowers: Tiny, daisy-like, (about 16 mm in diameter) with 35-40 purple petals with pink staminodes centrally collected.
Fruits: The fruit is a 5-locular capsule with persistent bracteoles, nearly sessile, top with high rims.
Seeds: Brown, 0,9 mm by 0,6 mm broad.
Bibliography: Major references and further lectures
1) Heidrun E. K. Hartmann "Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Aizoaceae A-E" Springer, 2002
Antimima evoluta Photo by: Valentino Vallicelli
Antimima evoluta Photo by: Valentino VallicelliCultivation and Propagation: The Antimima evolutaSN|19550]]SN|19550]] is a "winter" grower which is most active from late winter until later spring and heading for summer dormancy. It is relatively easy to grow, but less forgiving than other Mesembs of excess water.
Soil: Requires good drainage as it is prone to root rot. It can grows outdoor in sunny, dry, rock crevices (protection against winter wet is required) It can also be cultivated in alpine house, in poor, drained soil. A mixture comprising 20 % pumice grit, 20% lava grit, 20% quartz grit, 20% coarse river sand and 20 % garden soil seems well suited.
Fertilization: Fertilize moderately during the growing season with diluted high potassium fertilizer.
Watering: Water minimally in summer, water more abundantly when they are growing in the autumn and spring.
Light: It needs a bright sunny or light shade exposure in winter, but keep cool and shaded in summer. With insufficient illumination bodies get thinner as a result of the lack of sun.
Hardiness: It prefer a very bright situation and will take a light frost (Hardy to -5°C) if it is in dry soil. USDA zones 9A-11.
Uses: Container, rock garden.
Propagation: Seed in spring or (or rarely) division of larger clumps. It is easily propagated by seed. Seeds germinate in 7-14 days at 21°C. Although they will start from cuttings, it is quite difficult to get them to root. If they start to rot there is usually part of the plant that can be removed and possibly rooted.
