Grielum humifusum var. parviflorum spreading

What is thought to be Grielum humifusum var. parviflorum is here growing long trailing stems in very sandy soil, or more sand than soil, a place eschewed by many species needing greater comfort. Each to its own but the hard, desert life is not an achievable choice for many.

The simple, alternate leaves are short-stalked, erect above the stems. This is probably a wise move acquired by evolution in order to miss some of the glare from the bare sand on the many bright days lived through in these parts. The leaves are greyish, and may be hairy. This is another adaptation easing the burden of living here, by lessening moisture loss.

The stalked yellow flowers are borne above the leaves. If you’re brave, you might as well show it! And attracting insects is a priority to be dealt with before withering that comes soon in the heat. The corollas are wide open bowls, easy for even the clumsiest of insects to access and eat.

The pietsnot, common name of the species, flowers late in winter and early in spring. Any bloomtime deviation by this variety is unknown (Van Rooyen and Van Rooyen, 2019; Manning and Goldblatt, 1997; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; https://www.botanicalrealm.com).