The specific epithet means looking like a Euphorbia and refers to the spines, which in reality are persistent petioles (leaf stalks). The plants occur in Namaqualand, from Kamieskroon to Steinkopf and further west. Their typical habitat is cracks in granite outcrops.
The last two pictures were made in cultivation.
These plants only occur in a small area near Riethuis in Namaqualand, where they grow in very salty, loamy sand with quartz pebbles. Usually they are not taller than 8 cm.
The average rainfall in the area is less than 100 mm per year.
When I saw these peculiar plants first (1 April 2012), I was quite surprised, especially because there were so many of them. If it had not been in such a remote area I might even have wondered if someone was trying to make an April-fool of me.
Of the literature at my disposal, only the Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants came up with a name and a description. It also told me that the species used to be a member of the genus Monilaria.
The pictures were taken at Riethuis in Namaqualand and show plants in the resting stage. When they are in active growth, the plants look totally different, with much longer leaves (up to 70 mm long instead of at most 17 mm in the resting period). You can see the remains of these long leaves on top of the “globes”
Although the plants occur in a small area only, they form large populations there.
This species is sometimes regarded as a subspecies of D. microspermus. It occurs in the Kenhardt district of Namaqualand. The pictures were taken in early Sept. 2010.
Photographed 9 Sept. 2010 in the northern Knersvlakte.
One of the joys of looking for plants in the wild is the fact that you keep making new discoveries. Not earth-shattering ones, but things like a certain species in an unexpected place, an early flowering specimen or one that is much bigger than the ones you know, fruits you see for the first time etc.
Often you come across a plant which you can not identify but which is similar to ones you know, so you have some idea in what direction you should look to find out what it is. Especially when it has one or more striking characteristics, it is easy to convince yourself you will have no problem getting an ID, but sometimes you’re in for a surprise.
The subject of this post is a case in point.
When I saw the plants in the first two pictures, I was so taken by the beautiful and most unusual colour of the leaves that I supposed this aspect would quickly lead me to the proper name. Well, not quite.
For a while I thought they might represent an aberrant form of either C. nudicaulis or C. brevifolia, but the differences were too big.
It took me 3 years to get the right brainwave: throw the names “Crassula” and “Port Nolloth” at Google and see what it comes up with. And BINGO, there it was in a recent article in Avonia by my friend Gerhard Wagner from Berlin.
Amongst many other things he says the following:
“It is remarkable that H. R. Toelken in the Flora of Southern Africa (1985, p. 221) mentions extreme forms of C. atropurpurea v. cultriformis from the coastal area north of Holgat River with much smaller leaves. Such plants, with highly succulent, almost round leaves, we also found south of Port Nolloth at Mc Dougall’s Bay, almost on the beach. Including these plants in C. atropurpurea v. cultriformis seems strange and difficult to understand because of the great differences in habit. It is peculiar that these plants, although they are easily accessible and should be well known, have not been investigated more closely and hardly any mention of them has been made in the literature.”
The first two pictures were taken at McDougall’s Bay, 5 Sept. 2010
The next two are from the same place, 5 Oct. 2011
The last two were taken 8 Sept. 2010 and show the more conventional form of this variety in a more usual habitat (slopes with quartz gravel).
This plant only occurs near Riethuis in Namaqualand, where it grows in saline quartz flats. Although locally common, the plants are often not easy to find.
Pictures taken 1 April 2012.
The genus Odontophorus (tooth bearing) contains just four species, all occurring in Namaqualand north and west of Springbok. This species is the only one in which -over time- long trailing branches rise from the compact centre.
Photographed 5 October 2011.
Yeah, yeah, I know this is not a succulent, but as most succulentophiles like other plants as well, I decided to smuggle this one in for a change. If you don’t like what you see, you can just move on.
This bulbous plant occurs abundantly throughout Namaqualand from Steinkopf southwards to the Olifants River.
The photos were taken between Garies and Hondeklipbaai on 31 March 2012. The beautifully undulated leaves are usually present from March till October.
Fulgidus means brightly coloured or shining, referring to the flowers with their brilliant colours (scarlet or carmine). The leaves with their silky hairs are very attractive too.
The plants occur on the west coast of South Africa on rocky hills or sand dunes near the sea.
