Gibbaeum in barren terrain

Several plants of the Gibbaeum genus are commonly called bababoudjies in Afrikaans (babys bottom). The resemblance is clear, the name speaks for itself. Another common Afrikaans name for the genus, haaibekkie (little shark mouth), refers to the shape of the leaf-pair that is always uneven in shape and size; the resemblance requiring slightly more imagination.

This plant typically grows to around 3 cm in height. Its distribution lies in the arid north of the Western Cape, including the Little Karoo (www.cactus-art.biz).