South African succulents Archives - Page 26 of 47

Trichodiadema mirabile

The genus name is derived from Greek trix = hair and diadema = crown. This refers to the tuft of stiff hairs or bristles present on the tips of leaves and sepals.
The diadem is believed to be able to absorb dew and rain water. This idea is supported by the fact that in cultivation, where there is usually much more water available to the plants, the diadem is often not well developed.
The crown of hairs can be removed as a whole and is the most characteristic property of the genus. In spite of this, diadems are not present in all species, nor do they all look the same. In most cases the diadem consists of radiating hairs, but in a few species the diadem is a tuft of erect bristles. T. mirabile is a case in point.
The species forms an erect shrublet up to 8 cm tall. The beautiful, pure white flowers are up to 4 cm in diameter and appear from October to January.
The plants can be found on stony slopes from the Laingsburg area to Uitenhage.

Crassula congesta (2)

In his revision of the genus Crassula (see yesterday’s post), Toelken makes the following remark with regard to the 2 subspecies: “…it is significant that each one can be identified without hesitation. No plants with intermediate characters have been recorded..”

To my mind, there is little doubt that the next picture shows ssp. congesta.

But the plants in the next two ones look like intermediate forms to me.

The last picture was taken just south of Calitzdorp and shows what I think is a hybrid between Crassula congesta ssp. laticephala (which was not found on this particular spot, but does occur in the general area) and C. columnaris (which was growing close by).

Crassula congesta (1)

In 1985, Volume 14 of the Flora of southern Africa was published, in which H. R. Toelken dealt with the familie Crassulaceae. His description of Crassula congesta starts with the word “Biennials”. In other words, plants that germinate and grow in the first year, and flower and set seeds in the second year, after which they die.
So far so good, but … A couple of years before (1977), “A revision of the genus Crassula in southern Africa” by the same botanist had been published by the Bolus Herbarium. In this publication it is stated that:
“These plants are described as biennials but this is true only under favourable conditions. In the field, the plants often become much older before they flower but usually the whole plant dies after flowering. The plants are usually monocarpic * but regeneration after flowering may sometimes occur, but usually only when the plant has been injured and/or if the terminal inflorescence was cut of”.
* A monocarpic plant flowers only once and then dies after the seeds have ripened.

There are two subspecies:
ssp. congesta, which has leaves that are curved upwards and is found North and Northeast of the Witteberge and
ssp. laticephala, with the leaves curved downwards and occurring Southeast of that mountain range, as far East as Oudtshoorn.
In this post only pictures of the latter subspecies are shown.

Adromischus maculatus

In spite of its name, the green to greyish-brown leaves in this species are not always spotted.
The plants are found on high sandstone slopes and outcrops in the Langeberg Mountains, from the Worcester area to north of George and along the Swartberg Mountains from Prince Albert to around Uniondale as well as near Beaufort West.
The horny margin that runs all around the leaf is a useful character to distinguish the species from similar ones, esp. A. triflorus.

Ruschia caroli

In spring (August-September), this is one of the many Mesemb species decorating the countryside with their colourful flowers.
It occurs from my area northwards to Clanwilliam on sandy and clayey soils.
The shrubs are up to 60 cm in height and 80 cm in diameter, with decumbent* grey to reddish branches (* creeping on the ground with the tips curved upwards).
The flowers are 2-2.5 cm across and pink to magenta with a darker midline.

Looking at the pictures you will notice that the last one gives a rather different impression of the flowers. It was taken in the shade and very slightly overexposed. This combination gives a result that I find rather pleasing to the eye.

Senecio longiflorus ssp. longiflorus

With its upright succulent stems this plant may easily be mistaken for a Euphorbia. It is widely distributed from Malawi and Zambia to South Africa, usually growing among rocks or under bushes.
In general the plants become 60-90 cm tall, but they may as much as 1.8 m. The stems are round at first, but later become somewhat angular or even furrowed. They are green, sometimes with a purple tinge, and decorated with groups of three dark green or purple lines. The leaves are rather fleshy but short-lived.
When in seed, the shrubs are a striking sight with their tufts of long white hairs.

Astroloba (Poellnitzia) rubriflora

A while ago I published some pictures of Poellnitzia rubriflora’s beautiful flowers. They were taken in my garden, because it was only last August that I saw this species in the wild for the first time.
The plants occur in a small area between Robertson and Bonnievale (not far from where I live nowadays) on dry stony flats and low hills, usually under bushes. They form low clusters with stems up to 25 cm long.

DNA research seems to indicate that the genus Poellnitzia with its one species belongs in Astroloba, in spite of the rather different flowers.

The accompanying photo were taken 10 August 2014 in the Vrolykheid Nature Reserve near McGregor.

Euphorbia esculenta (2)

Euphorbia esculenta (1)

Of the about 30 species of the so-called medusoid group of Euphorbias, this is one of the biggest, sometimes reaching a metre or even more in diameter (including the branches).
It is very common over a large area stretching from the dry sandy plains east of Addo, northwards as far as Graaff Reinet and southwestwards towards the Baviaanskloof and the eastern border of the Little Karoo.
When the substrate is very hard, the main body is pushed above ground.
The name esculenta means “edible”, because the plants can be used as fodder in times of drought.
The flowers with their white woolly bracteoles give off a pleasantly sweet scent.