Cheiridopsis Archives - enjoysucculents

Cheiridopsis peculiaris (eselore)

A peculiar species indeed and therefore easy to recognise.
The plants are up to 5 cm tall, usually with up to 3 branches. They form two types of leaf pairs: in the first one the leaves are flat and largely free. In the second pair they are upright and fused for more than half their length; this pair becomes dry and papery in summer, so that the new growth is protected from drying out.
The flowers very large (up to 6 cm in diameter) and appear in Aug.-Sept.

Found on shale flats and gneiss slopes in northern Namaqualand (from Springbok to north and west of Steinkopf), an area with 100-200 mm rainfall per year (in winter).

Cheiridopsis pillansii

This species is a common sight on low outcrops in the Richtersveld, from north of Lekkersing to the Augrabiesberg, and forms compact clumps up to 20 cm in diameter.
This is a winter rainfall area with less than 100 mm rain per year.
The flowers are 5-6 cm in diameter and range from white and yellow to orange-red, sometimes with a puplish tinge. They appear in winter and spring.

Cheiridopsis verrucosa

These plants are endemic to the northwest corner of the Richtersveld, where they often grow half-hidden in the ground. The yellow flowers are up to 2.5 cm across and appear in late Winter and early Spring.
The photos were taken on 8 Sept. 2010.

Cheiridopsis robusta

Notice the scale infestation on the plants in the last two pictures. 8 September 2010