Pelargonium crithmifolium

Pelargonium crithmifolium, commonly in Afrikaans the doringkopmalva (thorn head pelargonium) or dikbasmalva (thick bark geranium), has thick, knobbly succulent stems and deeply divided, lobed leaves that suggest an arid habitat. There is a yellowish smooth and peeling bark on the stems. The plant grows to 1 m in height, in some harsher regions only to half that. 

The white flowers are 1,5 cm in diameter, with short pink or red lines at the bases of the upper pair of petals. The flowers grow on long stalks and notable calyx tubes. The flowering season extends beyond the wet winter.

The plant’s geographical distribution ranges from Namibia, the Richtersveld and Namaqualand in the Northern Cape to the Western Cape Karoo and Little Karoo.

The plant's habitat holds harsh climate challenges including drought and temperature extremes. Adapted by way of thick, succulent stems, its water conservation capacity, P. crithmifolium is equipped for life in parts unavailable, meaning unsuitable for many other species. So the earth acquires specialised citizens for coping in almost all its regions. The habitat population of the dikbasmalva is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist; https://www.llifle.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).