Euphorbia tuberosa cyathia and leaves

Euphorbia tuberosa flowers, false flowers or cyathia do make a strong colour statement, supported by the leaves when attacked as here by the relentless Namaqualand sun. The leaves with their crisped or curly tips adopted a colour that would do the floral parts proud.

Replenished as needed by the invisible tuber hidden below-ground, the lush, saucer-like false flowers are surrounded by five yellow-green, flat and succulent glands that dominate the pointed bracts sometimes protruding more conspicuously from below (Grenier, 2019; Frandsen, 2017; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning and Goldblatt, 1996; iNaturalist).