Codon royenii young plant

This young Codon royenii plant, sometimes called prickly bush, is taking a break from the sun behind its large rock in Goegap. Noble birth is for plants reduced to germinating in a fortunate spot.

The sun may even drain a succulent plant with protective leaf skin of its sap, although being at home in this land goes with a track record of coping with desert-style challenges.

Spine size, their density and evenness of distribution have interesting variations on plant parts of this species, partly disclosed in the photo.

C. royenii is indigenous, growing in some of the driest parts of South Africa. It has nothing to do with prickly pears (Opuntia) or the Cactus genus, although it is so profusely spiny (Le Roux, et al, 2005; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Eliovson, 1990; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; http://pza.sanbi.org).