Ruschia maxima stems

The stems of Ruschia maxima branch much to form rounded shrubs. The stems usually point upwards. In this picture the lush young stems, yellowish in colour, have long internodes. This is probably due to good rain resulting in strong growth. Lower down the stems are rough surfaced and woody.

There are no spines: only five of the 220 Ruschia species have spines. The large genus comprises a variety of functional adaptations to diverse habitats. There are Ruschia species growing almost all over South Africa, barring the extreme north and east. They also occur in Lesotho and the south of Namibia (Smith, et al, 1998; www.plantzafrica.com).