Kalanchoe delagoensis, formerly known as Bryophyllum delagoense[1] and commonly called mother of millionsorchandelier plant,[3] is a succulent plant native to Madagascar. Like other members of Bryophyllum (now included in Kalanchoe[2]), it is able to propagate vegetatively from plantlets that develop on its leaf margins.
It is a robust, completely bare, biennial or more or less perennial, succulent plant that reaches heights of between 0.2 and 2 meters. The upright stems are simple and round. The three-seated, seemingly opposite or alternate leaves are usually upright to straight when spread out. They are slightly cylindrical, a little rutty on the top and reach a length of 1 to 13 centimeters with a diameter of 2 to 6 millimeters. The leaf blade narrowed at the base is reddish-green to gray-green with reddish brown spots. At the tip of the leaf margin there are two to nine small teeth on which there are numerous brood buds.
The compact, multi-flowered inflorescences form thyrses 10 to 25 centimeters long. The slender flower stalk is between 6 and 20 millimeters long. The hermaphrodite flowers are hanging. The reddish to green and red-striped petals are fused together like a bell. The 2.5 to 6 millimeter long corolla tube ends in sharply pointed, triangular-lanceolate corolla lobes 5 to 10 millimeters long and 3.7 to 5.7 millimeters wide. The stamens are attached below the center of the corolla tube and do not protrude beyond the tube. The 2 to 2.5 millimeters large anthers are egg-shaped. The nectar flakes, 0.7 to 2 centimeters long are half-round to square with a rounded tip. The oval-elongated carpel is 5.5 to 6.5 millimeters long. The stylus has a length of about 2 millimeters.
The upright follicles contain seeds with a diameter of 0.6 to 2.5 millimeters.
Kalanchoe delagoensis is unwelcome because it displaces native plants and contains bufadienolidecardiac glycosides[6] which can cause fatal poisoning, particularly in grazing animals like cattle.[7] During 1997, 125 head of cattle died after eating this species on a travelling stock reserve near Moree, NSW.[8]
In the Australian states of New South Wales[9] and Queensland,[10] this species and its hybrids have been declared a noxious weed.
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 Zoologia22(1): 51–59. doi:10.1590/S0101-81752005000100007PDF fulltext
McKenzie, R.A. & Dunster, P.J. (1986): Hearts and flowers: Bryophyllum poisoning of cattle. Australian Veterinary Journal63(7): 222-227. doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.1986.tb03000.xPMID3778371 (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 Journal64(10): 298-301. doi:10.1111/j.1751-0813.1987.tb07330.xPMID3439945 (HTML abstract)
