Cerochlamys pachyphylla

In the field, one now and then comes across Mesembs with blackish stains which apparently are caused by fungi (sooty moulds) that grow on the sweet honeydew secreted by-sap sucking insects.
Although this makes the plants less attractive to look at, they do not normally seem to suffer much from it. The subject of this post is often a victim of these attacks; other well-known examples are Antegibbaeum, Cephalophyllum and Cylindrophyllum.

Over time, C. pachyphylla will form clumps of waxy* grayish leaves which are up to 6 cm long and three-angled in cross-section with a very oblique keel.
Usually the flowers are purple pink, rarely white or pale yellow. They are 2.5-3.5 cm in diameter and appear in late autumn to winter( May-July).

Although there are not very many populations, the plants are often locally abundant on sandstone rocks and shale ridges in the Little Karoo between Barrydale and Oudtshoorn.

* The genus name is derived from ceros = wax and chlamys = mantle.


With Conophytum truncatum

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