Astridia longifolia

Astridia longifolia is a robust, branched shrublet reaching heights around 25 cm.

The Astridia genus comprises eight species of erect, woody mesemb shrublets. They occur on both sides of the Gariep River close to the west coast, i.e. the north-western part of the Richtersveld in South Africa and the southern coastal region of Namibia.

A. longifolia leaves are slightly curved and up to 9 cm long. The leaf pairs of Astridia plants are typically spaced, showing bits of stem in between. Leaves vary from near triangular to cylindrical in shape, spreading in some species, erect and parallel in others. Parts of dried leaf sheaths or bases tend to remain on the older, woody stems.

A. longifolia flowers are scarlet, up to 5 cm in diameter. Flowers of Astridia species vary in colour from orange as here to white, yellow, purple, pink or red. Fruit capsules have six locules with raised ridges on the top, similar to capsules of plants belonging to the Ruschia genus.

The species distribution is in the Helskloof region of the Richtersveld.

The plants grow on rocky slopes. The arid land here receives minimal winter rain. The species is considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century, due to degraded veld from trampling and overgrazing (Williamson, 2010; Smith, et al, 1998; iSpot; http://redlist.sanbi.org).