Curio ficoides

Curio ficoides, sometimes commonly known as the blue chalkstick, is a branching shrub that grows to 1 m in height.

The stems are a little succulent, the leaves more so. The long, narrow, blue-grey leaves are erect, smooth and somewhat flattened with acutely pointed tips. They become 10 cm long and 1,5 cm wide.

The species distribution is in the Western Cape where the plants are found in the eastern parts of the Little Karoo and eastwards to the Eastern Cape as far as Makhanda (Grahamstown).

The habitat is rocky outcrops, mainly in fynbos veld where Protea nitida is often seen. The population stability of the species has not been determined as the data available is insufficient, the plant being taxonomically problematic.

The plant was in the past called Senecio ficoides, Kleinia ficoides and Cacalia ficoides at different stages of it being recognised in botany. Such name changes reflect information growth, usually indicating increased approximation of factual accuracy (Smith, et al, 2017; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; iNaturalist; http://worldofsucculents.com; www.redlist.sanbi.org).