Kalanchoe delagoensis

Kalanchoe delagoensis
Flowers
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Eudicots
(unranked):	Core eudicots
Order:	Saxifragales
Family:	Crassulaceae
Genus:	Kalanchoe
Section:	Bryophyllum
Species:	K. delagoensis
Binomial name
Kalanchoe delagoensis Eckl. & Zeyh.
Synonyms
Bryophyllum delagoense Bryophyllum tubiflorum Bryophyllum verticillatum Kalanchoe tubiflora Kalanchoe verticillata

Kalanchoe delagoensis is a succulent plant native to Madagascar. In common with the other members of the Bryophyllum section of the genus Kalanchoe, K. delagoensis is notable for vegetatively growing small plantlets on the fringes of its leaves, leading to its common names of mother of thousands and mother of millions. Chandelier plant is an alternative common name.

The plant's capability for vegetative reproduction, its resistance to drought, and its popularity as a garden plant, have allowed the plant to become an invasive weed in places such as eastern Australia and many Pacific islands. In the Neotropics it even gets pollinated by hummingbirds on occasion^[1].

As well as displacing native plants, K. delagoensis is also unwelcome because it contains bufadienolide cardiac glycosides^[2] which can cause cardiac poisoning, particularly in grazing animals^[3]. During 1997, 125 head of cattle died after eating mother-of-millions on a travelling stock reserve near Moree, NSW. ^[4]

Footnotes

1. ^ For example Sapphire-spangled Emerald (Amazilia lactea) in Brazil (Baza Mendonça & dos Anjos 2005)
2. ^ Bryotoxins A, B and C: McKenzie et al. (1987), Steyn & van Heerden (1998)
3. ^ McKenzie & Dunster (1986), McKenzie et al. (1987)
4. ^ North West Weeds: http://www.northwestweeds.nsw.gov.au/mother_of_millions.htm

References

• Baza Mendonça, Luciana & dos Anjos, Luiz (2005): Beija-flores (Aves, Trochilidae) e seus recursos florais em uma área urbana do Sul do Brasil [Hummingbirds (Aves, Trochilidae) and their flowers in an urban area of southern Brazil]. [Portuguese with English abstract] Revista Brasileira de Zoologia 22(1): 51–59. doi:10.1590/S0101-81752005000100007 PDF fulltext
• McKenzie, R.A. & Dunster, P.J. (1986): Hearts and flowers: Bryophyllum poisoning of cattle. Australian Veterinary Journal 63(7): 222-227. doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.1986.tb03000.x PMID 3778371 (HTML abstract)
• McKenzie, R.A.; Franke, F.P. & Dunster, P.J. (1987): The toxicity to cattle and bufadienolide content of six Bryophyllum species. Australian Veterinary Journal 64(10): 298-301. doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.1987.tb07330.x PMID 3439945 (HTML abstract)
• Steyn, Pieter S & van Heerden, Fanie R. (1998): Bufadienolides of plant and animal origin. Nat. Prod. Rep. 15(4): 397-413. doi:10.1039/a815397y PDF fulltext