Species profile 2: Monanthes pallens
Monanthes is a small genus of succulent plants in the Crassulaceae family, native almost exclusively to the Canary Islands. These plants are remarkable for their ability to thrive in harsh, rocky environments and often go unnoticed unless one looks closely at the vertical rock faces they inhabit. What makes Monanthes particularly special is their extreme endemism and ecological adaptation. Many species occur only on a single island, making them significant from both conservation and evolutionary perspectives. Despite their modest appearance, their delicate flowers and diverse growth forms reveal a surprising variety and resilience within these isolated island ecosystems.
Monanthes pallens (Webb ex Christ) Christ
This species is a delicate, often overlooked succulent endemic to the islands of Tenerife and La Gomera. It typically grows in shaded crevices and on moist cliffs at mid to high elevations, where it forms small mats or loose clusters. Unlike some of its more robust relatives, M. pallens has a subtle presence, and is also fairly similar in growth habit to Monanthes polyphylla. In La Gomera, we saw M. pallens around the southern valleys of the island, while M. polyphylla was common in the northern ones.
