Cephalophyllum pillansii

Cephalophyllum pillansii is a dwarf perennial succulent with short creeping stems forming a small mat of closely spaced leaf clumps. The plant becomes about 12 cm high.

The pointed, succulent sepals can be seen spreading away from the corolla of the opening flowers in picture, while still converging over the bud.

The species distribution is mainly in the west of the Northern Cape, in Namaqualand and southwards into the Western Cape as far as Vanrhynsdorp. This one was seen west of Springbok during August.

The plants grow on sandy flats in arid to semi-arid winter rainfall conditions. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century.

The plant resembles C. tricolorum that occurs in the Western Cape, possibly with larger flower centres (Smith, et al, 1998; Herre, 1971; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).