Month: September 2020

Antimima (Ruschia) biformis

The conspicuously dotted leaves are typical of this species, which is one of the smallest in the genus.

Over time the plants form low cushions up to 2.5 cm tall and 18 cm in diameter.
The leaves are of two types:
one pair forms a body of 2-5 mm long with 2 very short lobes, greyish-green with a purple hue. During the hot and dry resting period, this pair dries out and forms a dry sheath-like cover which protects the consecutive pair.
In this second pair, the leaves are almost free, 2-7 mm long and 2-3 mm wide and thick, triangular in cross-section, and pointed.
This phenomenon of two different types of leaf-growth is called heterophylly and it may be interesting to note that it is reflected in the name of this species (bi=two; forma=form, shape).
The plants have solitary purplish flowers (with or without a darker mid-stripe) on stalks 3-4 mm long.

According to the literature, they occur in shaly sandstone crevices in the Swellendam area. The first picture below was made about 20 km NW. of Montagu, the others about 15 km E. of Montagu. The last two ones show plants in late January (during the resting period), the other ones were taken in early September (during the growing season).

Mesembryanthemum longistylum

Depending on the availability of water, these plants are either annuals or biennials.
They are sprawling or erect (to 40 cm tall), with a slightly woody base. Their leaves usually have inconspicuous bladder cells and are 2-3.5 cm long and 0.2-1 cm wide, linear to narrowly oblong and more or less cylindrical to flattened, slightly channelled and green (often with a red tinge).
The flowers are up to 2.5 cm in diameter and have white petals, often with pink tips and/or a yellowish base; they appear mainly in Sept.-Nov.

Although it is locally abundant and widespread mainly in the Western Cape, the species is reported from places as far away as Springbok and Port Elizabeth. It is usually found on disturbed clay or loam and along roadsides.