Aizoon species glassy stem-tip

    Aizoon species glassy stem-tip
    Author: Ivan Lätti
    Photographer: Thabo Maphisa

    This Aizoon-like mesemb stem-tip represents a bud or buds with outside surfaces of their perianths and some floral bracts cohering in a shiny covering of water cells. Green and pink colouring shows through the transparent cover with enough shine to celebrate the youth of these plant parts.

    A few long hairs are present but not enough to compete with the cells. On the leaves lower down on the plant it’s the other way round, or no water cells at all (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; iNaturalist).

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