Meant to say, the genus
Kleinia is far from a new name since it was first described back in 1754.
It has though had a very chequered history and was only properly recognised at Kew in the 1990s where much study of
Senecio and its relatives was being undertaken.
Kleinia is now THE largest genus of succulent daisies with around 80 spp. ranging from the Canary Islands, through Africa, Arabia, Madagascar to India in the east. (
Othonna is slightly smaller in size and this too has been split into two, the other new name being
Crassothonna.)
The other key name for succulents in this group,
Curio, was newly named in this period, but not by Kew. This has around 20 spp. with mainly trailing or creeping plants, THE most familiar sp. being
C. rowleyanus, which is undoubtedly THE commonest succulent daisy in cultivation.
C. radicans is also common since it too is easily grown from cuttings.
Caputia is a much more recent innovation, endemic to Southern Africa with just 6 spp. Here
C. tomentosa is also a very common plant. These plants have an unusual soft hairy (tomentose) coating to stems and leaves.
Another small genus that'll be unfamiliar is
Pittocaulon dating from 1975. This consists of just 5 spp. of Mexican "tree daisies" of which
P. praecox will be the only one most folk will have heard of.
