One peculiar succulent: Cheiridopsis peculiaris

Cheiridopsis peculiaris

 Every day we seem to see dozens if not hundreds of wonderful plants. I usually show a wide spectrum of species, but THIS wonderful peculiarity seems to demand a closer look. I never cease to be amazed at the variety of guises a single plant can take. There is something about this taxon we all found transfixing: the simple architecture of leaves and central growth buds: Art Nouveau? Mid-Century Modern? Sleek and somehow not really plant-like...more like origami perhaps--although very succulent indeed. I'd seen pictures of this years ago, and wondered about it. What a treat to see it carpeting the ground in the narrow confines of where it does grow wild.

I was amused to see the strategies the plant employed to hide its last year's sizeable seedpod...

In a few spots it was amazingly thick.

Of course I know you won't believe me--but none of the four of us placed the seed capsule into "Poopophytum"--although I do blushingly confess I was fooled for a split second.

Here growing with a babiana, probably Babiana flabellifolia.

Like a stylized pterosaur, or children's toy--certainly not like any Cheiridopsis I've seen before--and I've seen a LOT!