Pelargonium tetragonum stems in the dry season

Pelargonium tetragonum is sometimes called the square stack cranesbill. The abundantly rambling stems of this succulent Pelargonium predominate over leaves in the photosynthesis process of feeding the plant.

The leaves, when they are present, are succulent, lobed and usually short-lived. They drop off promptly upon the onset of a dry period. The leaf sometimes has the characteristic red to purplish circular marking around its centre, also found in some other Pelargonium species.

The succulent, green stems by themselves carry on the business of normal metabolical functioning robustly in the arid habitat where the plant is adapted. Young stems may be cylindrical, but often mature into triangular or four-sided supple stalks, blue-green when it is dry or light green with leaves present in water rich circumstances.

When the plant is not in flower, a well developed specimen may appear similar to some stem succulents like certain Euphorbia species or Cynanchum viminale, a climbing milkweed also known as the Rapunzel plant (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; www.davesgarden.com).