Portulacaria pygmaea

Portulacaria pygmaea, in Afrikaans commonly the dwergspekboom and scientifically previously known as Ceraria pygmaea, is a dwarf succulent from 5 cm to 15 cm in height and 30 cm wide. It grows from a thick, tuberous caudex.

The flowers grow terminally in clusters of two to six. They are inconspicuous, exceedingly small and pink, lilac or white in colour. The species is dioecious, bearing its male and female flowers on different plants.

P. pygmaea has a limited distribution near the mouth of the Gariep River around places in the northern Richtersveld like Sendelingsdrif and Grootderm. The plants are also found in Namibia on the northern side of the Gariep valley and northwards to near Lüderitz.

The habitat is quartzite slopes and sandy flats. The species is considered to be endangered in its habitat early in the twenty first century due to habitat destruction and degradation, as well as horticultural plant collection (Williamson, 2010; iNaturalist; www.llifle.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).