Orbea lutea subsp. lutea

Orbea lutea subsp. lutea may have teeth as flat as these seen from above. In the absence of flowers, the stems and other visible plant parts give the clues as to a plant’s identity. There are signs that flowers had been present at these stem tips, already gone by January, fruits and all. O. lutea subsp. lutea flowers in summer and early autumn.

O. carnosa is a similar plant, its stem tubercles shaped differently. O. elegans also has this flat shape of the teeth, although there is less purple on the stems of that species that is only known in the Blouberg area of Limpopo. This photo was taken in the central part of the Kruger National Park well within the range of O. lutea (White and Sloane, 1937; Letty, 1962; www.plantzafrica.com).