Wooleya farinosa

Wooleya farinosa is the only species in the Wooleya genus. Note the unruly petal arrangement. White is clearly not too reserved or timid a colour for the exuberant Namaqualand environment.

The Afrikaans common name of vaalvygie (grey mesemb), refers to the ash-grey leaves. The leaves do sometimes display some purplish colouring as well. Leaves grow in similar pairs on the spreading shrublet. Leaf shape is nearly cylindrical, flattened on the inside or upper surface, rounded on the outside, lower surface.

It is interesting to note that another plant, Haworthia woolleyi, named after the same person, a Major Woolley who contributed plant samples to the Kirstenbosch collection, has a different spelling of the surname.

The geographical distribution of the plant lies in the north-western part of Namaqualand, going into the Richtersveld (Smith, et al, 1998).

(Check the Mesemb and Succulent Albums on this Site as well for some of the Namaqualand species.)