Crassula alba var. parvisepala

Crassula alba var. parvisepala is one of three recognised subspecies of C. alba. The plant may have densely scattered maroon spots on the leaves, but clearly not on this specimen that was photographed near Sabie in February.

One earlier name, C. rubicunda var. lydenburgensis, indicates colour in the generic name, location in the specific name.

Photos of cultivated plants found on the Internet almost invariably show the red blotched leaves. The leaves are sessile, lance-shaped with entire margins that taper to acute tips. The basal rosette has the biggest leaves, those up the flower stem decreasing in size.

The plant is found in the east of South Africa on high ground along the escarpment and the northern reaches of the Drakensberg.

The habitat is summer rainfall grassland. The plant population is stable early in the twenty first century (Smith, et al, 1997; www.redlist.sanbi.org).