Cotyledon orbiculata var. orbiculata

The form of Cotyledon orbiculata var. orbiculata, in Afrikaans the hondeoor (dogs ear), has erect, red-rimmed leaves. They display a mixture of green, yellow and grey hues with some seasonal variability. Leaf size is also smaller than some other forms of the plant. The pointed leaf tips remind of a Middle Eastern architectural feature.

Plants in the veld are often not nearly as big as the recorded "normal" size of 1 m.

The clasp of the pointed calyx, coloured the same as the corolla, is clearly displayed on some flowers in the photo. There are characteristic shapes in bud, open and fading flower.

The plant is found in the southern Overberg region in the southwest of the Western Cape.

Close to the sea on dunes or in rocky scrub the smallish plant does well, flowering all year and easy to find on many sites. The variety is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century (Mustart, et al, 1997; http://redlist.sanbi.org).