Antimima hantamensis

    Antimima hantamensis
    Author: Ivan Lätti
    Photographer: Ivan Lätti

    Antimima hantamensis is a low growing mesemb or vygie, belonging to the Aizoaceae family.

    There are 99 recorded species in this genus. Several of them are referred to as cushion mesembs, referring to the compact little hills of small succulent leaves developing an elevation in the centre over long stems hidden below.

    A. hantamensis has short, stubby, light green, succulent leaves growing on spreading and erect stems. This is not one of the cushion plants. It lives in Kirstenbosch and will probably not look as good in its natural, arid habitat. The species is evergreen, grown for its foliage, i.e. the flowers are small as is common among the antimimas.

    The genus resembles Ruschia. The main differences are in the fruit capsules of Antimima having distinguishing lobed and broadened keels. Many of the plants in the Antimima genus were transferred from Ruschia recently. A. hantamensis had two earlier names under Ruschia, two under Eberlanzia and one as a member of the Mesembryanthemum genus.

    The species distribution is in the west of the Northern Cape, in Namaqualand and inland in the west of the Western Cape.

    The habitat is arid and semi-arid scrub veld and succulent Karoo. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century (Smith, et al, 1998; http://davesgarden.com; http://ww2.bgbm.org; http://redlist.sanbi.org).

     

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