Ruschia spinosa leaves and fruits

The leaves of Ruschia spinosa, a leaf succulent, may also be as short and squat as seen here. The upper surface is nearly flat, the lower one bulging to hold the lavish succulence stored in the leaf. A keel rendering the leaf three-sided is not consistent or conclusive. Leaf surfaces are pale green here, covered in scattered red mottling.

Some orange beginnings of fruit capsules where the flowering had come and gone are scattered among the leaves. The leaves grow in equal, opposite pairs, completely covering the young stems.

By the time the leaves disappear, the bare, old stems are pale grey and woody. The long spines that give the plant its specific name are visible. These rigid spines are often forked or in groups of three at stem tips. This plant was seen near Oudtshoorn in August (Smith, et al, 1998; iSpot).