3.1 General leaf morphology
Leaf morphology of the Crassula species examined ranged from
planar and bifacial (e.g. C. multicava and C. ovata ) to
subterete and equifacial (e.g. C. tecta and C. ausensis )
(Figs. 2, 3 ). Furthermore, leaf orientation varied: leaves were
patent in C. multicava , C. ovata and C. perforata ,
erecto-patent in C. sericea , and erecto-patent to erect inC. fragarioides , C. tecta and C. ausensis . In these
three last species, only the distal half of the leaves was exposed to
the atmosphere, due to the tight arrangement of the leaves. In the two
columnar species, C. deceptor and C. plegmatoides , leaves
were wide and short and tightly arranged, so that the abaxial side of
the leaves was predominantly exposed to the atmosphere.