Brachystelma circinatum

Brachystelma circinatum, commonly known as the bird-cage brachystelma and in Afrikaans as the wilde-aartappel (wild potato), produces stems and leaves annually from a somewhat cup-shaped underground tuber. The plant becomes about 30 cm tall. The leaves are sessile, opposite, small and oblong with their margins curled inwards.

The small flowers grow from leaf axils. The flower lobes close in lantern or cage-shape at their tips, similar to the flowers of several species of the genus. The lobes are cream on the outside, maroon inside. There are considerable flower form and colour variations.

The species is found widespread in South Africa, in all provinces excepting the Northern Cape and North West, apart from a strong presence in neighbouring countries like Namibia and Botswana.

The habitat is diverse, including summer and winter rainfall areas and inundation levels. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Frandsen, 2017; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).