Arctotheca populifolia

Arctotheca populifolia, the sea pumpkin, is a sprawling, mat-forming, soft perennial reaching heights up to 15 cm.

The species distribution is coastal from the Northern Cape in the west all the way to Mozambique. The photo was taken at Nature’s Valley.

The habitat is dunes and open sandy flats on the beach. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

The plant is often a pioneer on coastal dunes in the region where the sand shifting begins (Manning, 2007; Le Roux, et al, 2005; Mustart, et al, 1997; Manning and Goldblatt, 1996; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).