Heterolepis aliena minimalistic style

This stoical Heterolepis aliena shrublet is eking out a living in its meagre share of rock crevice near the road in the Nuwekloof Pass. The common rockdaisy name raises no questions here. No accolades from admiring crowds but recurring yellow flowering is sufficient annual reward.

Achievement is also evident in the bare, fairly smooth and grey stems, steadily adding woody substance at the plant base. Bearing up in this case translates to erect, leafy stem-tips that renew their load continually in true-to-type living, not requiring much in water and other resources (Manning, 2007; iNaturalist; https://pza.sanbi.org).