Zygophyllum cordifolium

Zygophyllum cordifolium is a prostrate, succulent-leaved shrublet growing to heights from 30 cm to 70 cm. The stems are pale grey or brown, mostly with green and beige longitudinal lines. The fruits are five-winged.

The species distribution is in the Western Cape from Saldanha, the west of the Northern Cape across Namaqualand through the Richtersveld and to Namibia. It grows its fleshy leaves and yellow flowers here on an inhospitable rocky slope of the Richtersveld.

The plant’s habitat is sandy or gravelly flats, slopes and dunes. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2009; iSpot; www.redlist.sanbi.org).