Crassula tetragona coloured by December sun

    Crassula tetragona coloured by December sun
    Author: Ivan Lätti
    Photographer: Ivan Lätti

    Crassula tetragona gets its specific name of tetragona from the leaf arrangement on the stems, botanically called its phyllotaxis. Plants with opposite leaf pairs succeeding each other in a perpendicular manner like those of C. tetragona are said to have decussate phyllotaxis.

    The leaves of the species are also quite variable: cylindrical or sometimes flat, always succulent. They may be from 1 cm to 5 cm long, usually incurved and up to 5 mm in diameter, tapering to sharpish tips. Leaf colour may be grey, green or pinkish red as in this photo taken near Touwsrivier (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; iNaturalist; Wikipedia).

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