Aptenia cordifolia

Aptenia cordifolia is a creeping ground-cover plant from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal coastal region. The plant is a short-lived, evergreen perennial with thick, fleshy roots. It is known as baby sun rose and in Afrikaans as brakvygie (brackish mesemb or saline mesemb).

The Greek word apten meaning wingless was chosen to describe the genus with its wingless fruit capsules. Green and ripe capsules are both to be seen in the photo given here. Each capsule has four lidless chambers. In each chamber grows one dark and rough surfaced seed (Smith, et al, 1998; www.plantzafrica.com).