Lampranthus reptans

Lampranthus reptans, sometimes called the creeping brightfig, in Afrikaans known as the sandkruipvygie (sand creep mesemb) and previously, scientifically as Mesembryanthemum reptans, is a creeping leaf-succulent that grows slender, trailing branches forming mats.

The visible stem internodes are pink-purple, while the lower pedicel parts of the flowers in picture have interesting colour variations enhanced by translucence. The white dots on the leaves seen against the light are repeated on the sepals.

The species distribution is in the southwest of the Western Cape from the Cape Peninsula northwards to Malmesbury and maybe Clanwilliam, eastwards to the Agulhas Plain and maybe George.

The habitat is seasonally wet sandy flats. The species is considered to be nearly threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century, due to expansion of human settlements, alien vegetation invasion and farming (Manning, 2007; Manning and Goldblatt, 1996; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).