(Photograph = Crassula multiclava, 4-merous flowers, Jacinta Iluch Valero)
Introduction
4-merous (pronounced four‘ mer us) flowers have 4 petals, 4 sepals, and 4 stamens. Likewise 5-merous flowers have 5 petals, sepals, and stamens. Plants in the genus Crassula have 4-merous, or 5-merous flowers.
The Details
Crassula is a genus of about 200 species; Wikipedia lists well over 100 species. The plants are succulent and the leaves always occur opposite from each other on a stem.
The small flowers are often clustered together to make a large bouquet of flowers. Crassula flowers are typically pink or white. Though small, the flowers are beautiful in their daintiness.
Crassula species share many features with each other such as succulent leaves and resistance to drought. Many Crassula species come from Africa, and most are not tolerant of freezing temperatures. Some Crassula species are grown as beautiful house plants (e.g., Jade Plant). Others can be weeds such as Crassula helmsii, which is a semi-aquatic plant.
Additional Reading: Jade Plant, Crassula ovata
