The miss-named violets of the Karoo

Aptosimum indivisum Calitzdorp 09-16-2023 

The one pretty Universally accepted common name for plants in the genus Aptosimum is "Karoo Violet". Although they are by no means confined to the Karoo (the vast interior dryland--part Steppe/part desert) that comprises much of inland South Africa) they are pretty common in that complex and crazy biome. No use trying to change the name--they remind me a lot of our Western American penstemons (see below), however Aptosimum still resides in Scrophulariaceae whereas poor Penstemon has been coralled in with the homely Plantain Family (Plantaginaceae). Of course, neither is at all closely related to true violets...DNA trumps appearances apparently. (I refuse to let the bugger has ruin that verb too...it shall [hopefully] outlive him!)

Penstemon yampaensis in my garden a few years ago

You may or may not believe this, but I have MANY more stunning images of this species both in the wild and my various gardens. Not to mention Penstemon acaulis--but they are all transparencies I have yet to scan and likely won't get around to ever...at any rate the picture is good enough to give you a sense of how much Aptosimum resembles some penstemons!

I am not going to drone on very much in this post. It's a feeble excuse to share a FEW of the far too man pictures I've taken over the last few years of these wonderful plants. I am not 100% comfortable with the identifications: do let me know if I'm wrong.  have added the locations and dates I took the pictures--all done over that last three years of South African Superbloom--from which I'm still trying to recover: I have literally THOUSANDS of pictures--not JUST Aptosimum to be clear! (most of them pretty good if I don't say so) from those three fantastic trips with Karel Du Toit--a true hero and the best tour leader ever. Saving my pennies to travel with him again (you should join us!).

Aptosimum indivisum Ladismith 09-17-2023

I've tried to post only the most photogenic specimens...mind you I took a lot of transparencies on my previous seven trips to South Africa not represented here. This post would become truly Tolstoyan in length if I did!

Aptosimum indivisum Laingsburg 09-14-2023 

Aptosimum indivisum Laingsburg 09-14-2023

Aptosimum indivisum  Laingsburg 09-14-2023

Aptosimum indivisum  Laingsburg 09-14-2023 

Aptosimum indivisum  Laingsburg 09-14-2023 

Aptosimum indivisum  Laingsburg 09-14-2023 (4)

Aptosimum indivisum  Laingsburg 09-14-2023 (4)

Not quite sure what to make of the golden leaved Drosanthemum next to this Aptosimum.. environmental or is it genetically yellow. It does make a nice contrast to the "violet"...

Aptosimum indivisum  Laingsburg 09-14-2023 (4)

Aptosimum indivisum Langfontein 09-11-2023

Aptosimum indivisum  Langfontein 09-11-2023

Aptosimum indivisum  Langfontein 09-11-2023

Aptosimum indivisum Langfontein 09-11-2023

Aptosimum indivisum 

Aptosimum ? Langfontein 09-11-2023

Looks like this one is starting to turn into Aptosimum procumbens! Perhaps a hybrid--both species grew there. Here it was photobombed by Tritonia karooica---if I'm not mistaken.

Aptosimum sp. ign. Pachynama ZA 2024-08-08 (89)

Aptosimum procumbens Langfontein 09-11-2023

Aptosimum indivisum  Laingsburg 09-14-2023

Aptosimum sp. 3 Merwe rd from Sutherland 08-28-2022 

Aptosimum sp. 3 Merwe rd from Sutherland 08-28-2022 

Aptosimum sp. Kamiesberg PM 09-02-2022 

Aptosimum sp. Langeberg foothills 2 09-18-2023 

Aptosimum sp. Middelpos 08-30-2022 

Aptosimum sp. Middelpos 08-30-2022 

Aptosimum sp. Middelpos 08-30-2022 

Aptosimum sp. Middelpos 08-30-2022 

Aptosimum sp. Middelpos 08-30-2022 

Aptosimum sp. Middelpos 08-30-2022 

Aptosimum sp. Pachynama ZA 2024-08-08

Aptosimum sp. Pachynama ZA 2024-08-08

Aptosimum sp. sw Matjiesfontein 08-26-2022 

Aptosimum spinescens 3 mi nw Matjiesfontein Tankwa karoo 08-25-2022 

Aptosimum spinescens 3 mi nw Matjiesfontein Tankwa karoo 08-25-2022 

 I really ought to find (and scan) the transparency of this I took when it was in bloom just outside of Calvinia--this would surely be one of the greatest rock plants ever if it were ever tamed...

Aptosimum indivisum & Acanthaceae Laingsburg 09-14-2023

Wouldn't you know, the best picture I took of the little, spiny Acanthaceous annual we found all over northern Namaqualand in 2024 wasn't even in my recent post... I had labeled it Blepharis when we found wonderful specimens near Laingsburg--the two genera are obviously very close.

I should have mentioned that my impetus for this Blog Post was seeing an Aptosimum posted on the "Really Rare Plants" community on Facebook. I chuckled when I saw that--since these grow by the countless thousand--nay! million--over hundreds of thousands of square kilometers in Southern Africa. Not to gainsay that they are ridiculously rare in cultivation (and purportedly hard to grow).

I would like to live long enough to have these thriving along with rosulate violets and Dionysia in my home crevice gardens...something to dream about!