Huernia loeseneriana

Huernia loeseneriana is found in the Free State, North West, Gauteng and Mpumalanga. It is well-known around Pretoria and along the Magaliesberg, as well as near the Olifants River in Mpumalanga. It also grows in neighbouring states in the east of southern Africa.

The plant grows in summer rainfall, rocky grassland and on granite or dolerite outcrops, adapted to drought and temperature extremes. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

There are about 64 species of Huernia, 39 of which occur in southern Africa; the majority of the rest in northeastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.

Some indigenous people in southern Ethiopia use Huernia plants as famine food (Germishuizen and Fabian, 1982; Hardy and Fabian, 1992; White and Sloane, 1937; Wikipedia; www.redlist.sanbi.org).