The nothospecies, Petrosedum ×estrelae Gideon F.Sm. & R.Stephenson (Crassulaceae), a natural hybrid between Petrosedum forsterianum (Sm.) Grulich and Petrosedum sediforme (Jacq.) Grulich, is described from central Portugal.

The known distribution of the two species of Espostoa Britton & Rose formerly in the genus Thrixanthocereus Backeb. is described and expanded with recent new observations. A hybrid between Espostoa senilis and E. aff. ruficeps is recorded.

Cotyledon petiolaris, a new species is described from shale cliffs of the Mbashe River (eastern coast of the Eastern Cape), South Africa. It differs from all other Cotyledon species by its short leaf petiole and continuous cartilaginous margin, extending to the petiole.

The history, introduction and distribution of Sansevieria burdettii in Malawi is described in detail; the species was studied or reported by Theo Peter Campbell-Barker, Richard k. Brummitt, Horst Pfennig, Bruce J. Hargreaves, Mavis Scholes, Dave Richards, and Philip E. Downs before it was finally published as new by Juan B. Chahinian in 2000. Sansevieria burdettii is documented from Malawi by collections or photographs from Nkunguni Mt., Boadzulu Island (identity uncertain), Mpatamanga Gorge, and kapichira Falls, and literature / sight records report it from near Blantyre and Senga Hills. In addition, the species was recently documented from four localities in Northeastern Mozambique.

The geographical distribution range of Sedum acre L. (Crassulaceae), a small-growing European species of Crassulaceae, is extended in a southerly direction in the interior of central Portugal.

A reassessment of a group of four closely related taxa of the dwarf succulent genus Conophytum from Namaqualand, South Africa has been undertaken. This has resulted in the description of a newly discovered taxon, namely Conophytum confusum.

Four infraspecific taxa in Mediterranean Sedum (S. eriocarpum subsp. apertiflorum 't Hart, subsp. orientale 't Hart, and subsp. spathulifolium 't Hart, and S. litoreum var. creticum 't Hart) were first invalidly published by Hart (1996) in Ot Sist. Bot. Dergisi 2(2), but later validated by Hart (2002) in Fl. Hellenica 2. The valid place and date of valid publication and the type is indicated for all four taxa.

A new taxon in the dwarf succulent genus Conophytum from Namaqualand, South Africa is described - Conophytum crateriforme. The plant is named for its distinctive bowl shape.

The mild climate of the central west coast of Portugal has made it predisposed to exotic plants becoming established and eventually invasive in the natural macchia vegetation. Here we record the occurrence of 34 succulents, representing eight families, as forming part of the alien flora of the region. Twenty of these are naturalised and 14 are casuals. Five taxa of succulent plants that are widely cultivated are also catalogued, given the propensity of these plants to become pests. Most of these exotic succulents are illustrated to ease identification.

For two recently published species of Polianthes, P. alboaustralis E.Solano & Ríos-Gómez and P. cernua Art.Castro, J.G.González & Aarón Rodr., binomials in Agave are proposed: Agave alboaustralis (E.Solano & Ríos-Gómez) Thiede comb. nov. and Agave neocernua Thiede nom. nov.

The planting of succulents to protect homesteads from lightning, hail, storms and other environmental / spiritual calamities has been recorded from regions that are widely separated geographically. Two such cultures so employing these charm plants are distinct and apparently have not had contact until several centuries ago. A number of taxa are used as protective charms in South Africa's kwaZulu-Natal province, with many being succulent-leaved and of rosulate growth form. In continental Europe and the United kingdom, a small selection of material is even now deliberately cultivated for house protection. We note that the rosulate leaf arrangement is a character shared by some of the species used in South Africa (e.g. Haworthiopsis limifolia (Marloth) G.D.Rowley; Gasteria croucheri Baker), and the widely used European common houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum L.), which has a similar, tectate vegetative morphology. We suggest reasons for the apparent preference for using rosulate leaf succulents as charms to protect houses and their occupants.

The characters of plants from two Leptocereus populations are compared. L. ekmanii, often considered to be a synonym of L. assurgens, is shown to differ, especially in regard to its flowers. The fruit of L. ekmanii is described and illustrated for the first time.

A new Delosperma from the summer rainfall eastern coastal part of South Africa is described.

The botanical history and the history of the re-discovery in cultivation of Sansevieria burmanica are described. A table shows a comparison of the Asian species comprising S. burmanica, S. ebracteata, S. roxburghiana and S. zeylanica. A key is provided for the quick taxonomic identification of the four Asian species. Tips are given for cultivation and propagation.

Cactus plants are mostly present in deserts and arid environments in which water limits plant growth. Tall species of columnar cacti may be particularly sensitive to water availability since for some tall species water must be transported several metres from roots to shoot terminals. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are any generalizations regarding vascular bundles, water conduits and xylem conductivity within terminal stem portions of 20 species of columnar cacti.

A new Kleinia species from the eastern highlands of Zimbabwe is described.

Drosanthemum badspoortensis is named from Badspoort in the Western Cape. It is an obligatory cliff-dweller with several unique features.

Aloe arborescens is a widespread and variable species, characterized as a much branched shrub 2–5m high by most authors. The remarkable single-stemmed, arborescent form endemic to Mount Mulanje (Malawi) has been largely ignored previously and is here described and illustrated in detail. In its vegetative and reproductive morphology, the arborescent form falls within the known range of variation, and is connected with the typical shrubby growth form by intermediates; it is considered a mere variant not worthy of formal taxonomic recognition but unique in its deviating growth form. The arborescent form is mostly unbranched or sparsely branched, but may also form specimens with thick stems and a huge crown. Within the revised classification of Aloe based on molecular data, the tree-like species with massive stems and crowns such as A. dichotoma were classified in the segregate genera Kumara and Aloidendron, so that the tree-like specimens of A. arborescens as well as some specimens of the Tanzanian A. volkensii ssp. volkensii represent the sole truly tree-like specimens with massive stems and crowns within the genus Aloe as now circumscribed (Aloe s. str.). The arborescent form occurs mostly between huge boulders which give some shade to the plants, which might discourage stem branching due to a lack of strong light for part of the daytime, and it might cause a micro-climate of cold air to accumulate between the rocks which might inhibit growth, in addition to protection from strong winds and frost.

Plants matching the concept for Aloe monteiroae Baker, for long considered as an imperfectly known species, have been discovered at Komatipoort, about 50km west of the type locality. Observations in situ and in subsequent cultivation reveal a remarkable plasticity of leaf and inflorescence form, including the production of short, simple racemes. We conclude that the holotype of A. monteiroae, prepared from a plant cultivated at Kew but originating at Delagoa Bay (Maputo Bay), Mozambique, most likely represents a depauperate form of the highly variable Aloe parvibracteata Schönland. The widely used substantive epithet ‘monteiroi’ is amended to ‘monteiroae’ to correct an orthographic error. The name Aloe monteiroae Baker predates the name Aloe parvibracteata and should therefore be adopted for the species. However, for the sake of nomenclatural stability, a conservation proposal has been submitted to Taxon to prevent the familiar name Aloe parvibracteata from being replaced by the relatively obscure name Aloe monteiroae.

Bulbine spongiosa (Asphodelaceae), a geophyte endemic to sheer rock faces of Olifantsrivier, Badspoort (Western Cape), South Africa, is described. Tubers proliferate filling crevices. The leaves are ascending, distichous and fragile, the inner portions of which are distinctly spongy. The description of this taxon forms part of an extensive survey of cliff-dwelling succulent and bulbous-succulent taxa in South Africa and Namibia (Van Jaarsveld, 2011).

A number of large-growing species of Agave L. have become naturalised in southern Africa. One of these, the blue-leaved Agave americana L. (subsp. americana) var. americana, can take on colossal proportions. Agave weberi J.F.Cels ex J.Poiss. has a similar general appearance and also attains very large rosette and inflorescence dimensions. It is often confused with A. americana, and has comparable invasive tendencies. We give the differences between these two species, and provide an amplified description of A. weberi. For the first time we illustrate the flowers of this species, which often produces an inflorescence of over 10m tall. Nomenclatural information is provided on Agave franceschiana Trel. ex A.Berger and Agave neglecta Small, synonyms of Agave weberi.

Astroloba cremnophila is described from cliffs along the western Groot Swartberg in the Western Cape as new. It is related to Astroloba bullulata which is a much larger species growing on flats and hills in the Ceres and Sutherland districts.

A new Cotyledon species, related to the widespread C. woodii, but with sticky leaves, is named from the lower slopes of the mountains surrounding the Kouga Dam in the Eastern Cape.