Erepsia lacera

Erepsia lacera, sometimes commonly referred to as the torn spoonfig and in Afrikaans as the Paarl roosvygie (Paarl rose mesemb), is an erect shrublet branching moderately and reaching 70 cm to 1 m in height.

The species joined its Erepsia brethren late in botanical terms, as its unusual appearance brought it earlier classification on its own in the genus Semnanthe. Both leaves and flowers of this Erepsia resemble Carpobrotus plants (in reduced size).

The species distribution in the southwest of the Western Cape is restricted to little more than the Paarl region, from Malmesbury to Stellenbosch. This photo was taken on the Paardeberg near Riebeek West.

The habitat of this plant is shale slopes in renosterveld. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Smith, et al, 1998; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; iSpot; www.plantzafrica.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).