Crassula brevifolia subsp. brevifolia

Crassula brevifolia subsp. brevifolia is a branched, leaf-succulent shrub reaching heights around 50 cm. 

The species distribution is in the west of South Africa, the western Namaqualand part of the Northern Cape including the Richtersveld, and southwards in Namaqualand to the Western Cape as far as the Gifberg and Clanwilliam. Van Jaarsveld and co-workers (2006) report three Afrikaans common names for the C. brevifolia species in different regions: geelplakkie (yellow plakkie) in the Richtersveld, kortblaar-crassula (short leaf crassula) in the Gifberg, and rotsplaatplakkie (sheetrock plakkie) in the strandveld of the Western Cape fynbos.   

The habitat is arid quartzite or granite outcrops, and sandy slopes. These places often have low human population numbers. Farming activities do not interfere much with plant welfare, apart from some trampling by stock in overgrazed places. In recent times illegal plant removal linked to export has escalated, a problem still persisting, aided by plant lovers and distributors who purchase plants without checking plant origins. Still, the habitat population of the subspecies is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century.

There is a second subspecies, viz. C. brevifolia subsp. psammophila, a range restricted plant deemed vulnerable at the time of writing, occurring only in the coastal part of the Richtersveld. The etymology of that subspecific name, psammophila, involves the Greek words psammos meaning sand and philos meaning loving or fond of, referring to the plants usually being found in sandy soil (Frandsen, 2017; Smith, et al, 2017; Van Jaarsveld, et al, 2006; Le Roux, et al, 2005; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; iSpot; http://redlist.sanbi.org).