Huernia volkartii var. volkartii

Huernia volkartii var. volkartii, commonly known as dragon flower, is a dwarf stem succulent. Its stems lean over or curve up. They are four to five-angled. The spaced teeth on the stem ridges are sharply pointed and soft. They tend to dry out, becoming whitish or drop off. The stems in picture are shades of purple or yellowish purple; young ones may be dark green.

In bud the closed corolla lobes are twisted, when the flower opens its pointed lobe tips curve back. The five-pointed corollas are creamy-yellow with irregular red or dusky crimson transverse lines and dots. Mottling in the form of tiny papillae is present on the corolla, rendering its surface rough. Outer corona lobes are tiny, linear and prostrate, the inner ones erect. The flowers sometimes reach 2 cm in diameter. Fruit follicles are about 7 cm long.

The distribution of this plant is only close to South Africa: found in three countries sharing a South African border, viz. Namibia, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, it is not indigenous here. The plants are mostly found at reasonably high elevations, growing among rocks. This variety is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (White and Sloane, 1937; www.zimbabweflora.co.zw; www.llifle.com).