Tridentea is a genus of succulent plant in the family Apocynaceae, endemic to southern Africa.

Name and history

Tridentea was first described as a genus in 1812, and its name refers to the three "teeth" on each interstaminal segment of its flower ("tri-" = three; "dentis" = teeth). It was subsequently split, and the genus Tromotriche was created for the ten species which were separated.

Description

Tridentea stems are typically smooth, soft and appear as roughly four-edged in cross section. The four angles are marked by rows of low tubercle mounds. In young growth, each tubercle bears a small splayed leaf-remnant. These fall off with time though. Each leaf remnant is always surrounded by several minute, fat hairs. Tridentea flowers are flattened, star-shaped, and usually brightly coloured. The most common colouring is a mixed mottling of greenish-yellow with purple. Their inside is usually densely papillate. Flowers appear on minute inflorescences, and each stem bears only one inflorescence, from the stem base. • # Tridentea aperta (Masson) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea choanantha (Lavranos & Harry Hall) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea dwequensis (C.A. Lückh.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea gemmiflora (Masson) Haw.

• southern Africa • # Tridentea herrei (Nel) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea jucunda (N.E. Br.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea longii (C.A. Lückh.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea longipes (C.A. Lückh.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea marientalensis (Nel) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea pachyrrhiza (Dinter) L.C.Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea parvipuncta (N.E. Br.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea peculiaris (C.A. Lückh.) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea pedunculata (Masson) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea ruschiana (Dinter) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea umdausensis (Nel) L.C. Leach - southern Africa • # Tridentea virescens (N.E. Br.) L.C. Leach Tridentea baylissii, syn of Tromotriche baylissii