Succulents

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora

Botanical name	Kalanchoe thyrsiflora
Other names	Flapjacks; paddle plant; geelplakkie or meelplakkie (Afrikaans)
Family	Crassulaceae (stonecrop)
Dimensions	A perennial (lasts for a few years), succulent plant with large disc-shaped leaves in a basal rosette on a short stem, producing a flower stalk of over 1 m before dying back; the leaves point upward, which faciltates coping with much direct sun; tends to form clumps
Description of stem	Short, thick and curving, marked where old leaves had fallen off
Description of leaves	Large sessile round and flat, succulent (pancake-shaped!); smooth, entire margin, reddish towards the edge, especially if living in dry and harsh sunlight conditions; greyish blue-green elsewhere with a powdery bloom or 'frosty' coating on the leaf surface; smaller leaves occur on the flower stalk, decreasing in size towards the top; the powdery substance resembling flour that occurs abundantly on the leaves and other parts led to the Afrikaans name of 'meelplakkie'
Description of flowers	The flower is a terminal panicle resembling a thyrse with obscured axis and several sub-axes, on a long, erect stalk; the small, bulging tube-like flowers are grey-green, with four orange-yellow recurving petals, densely clustered and open in random patterns across the thyrse; flowering may occur any time from March through the winter to about October; may flower from the second year
Desciption of seed/fruit	The seeds ripen only later in mature plants
Description of roots
Variation
Propagation and cultivation	The small rosettes appearing on the stem and stalk can be removed and grow very easily; does well in dry and sunny conditions; tends to form new growth if the old flower stalks are removed
Tolerances	Drought resistant, survives in hot climates; frost tender
Uses	An attractive and easy to grow garden plant
Ecological rarity	Not threatened, widely distributed
Pests and diseases
Other	May be confused with Kalanchoe luciae that has whitish petals and somewhat differently shaped leaves?
Location	Occurs commonly in grassveld in rocky areas and exposed hilltops
Distribution (SA provinces)	Eastern Cape; Kwazulu-Natal, Free State, Mpumalanga, Limpopo
Country	South Africa and widely across Africa and into Asia

K thyrsiflora leaves: Photographed by Johannes Vogel

Kalanchoe thyrsiflora: Photographed by Johannes Vogel

Kleinia fulgens

Botanical name	Kleinia fulgens
Other names	Senecio fulgens, scarlet kleinia, coral senecio
Family	Asteraceae
Dimensions	A perennial multistemmed succulent of about 30 cm; specimens of double the size has been reported
Description of stem	Succulent, pale green, erect, sometimes spreading stems
Description of leaves	Grey, succulent obovate leaves with a few pairs of prominent lateral teeth on the margins; variable in size and form; sometimes with mauve markings
Description of flowers	Capitula with red or cerise disc-florets on long peduncles, tending to remain pendulous until open and again so when the seeds form; bloom in winter
Description of seed/fruit	Cyllindrical achenes, single dry seeds that do not open
Description of roots	Creeping, tuberous rootstock
Variation	Flower colour and leaf shape variations occur
Propagation and cultivation	Stem or leaf cuttings root very easily, although the parts to be planted should be left to dry for a few days; also grown from seed
Tolerances
Uses	Attractive dry garden or rockery subject, also in the USA; said to be browsed by animals in the natural state (seneciosis poisoning, Molteno disease status unknown)
Ecological rarity	Common
Pests and diseases
Other
Location	Grows on rocky outcrops in hills, sandy soil, sunny areas
Distribution (SA provinces)	Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Kwazulu-Natal
Country	South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Mozambique

Senecio fulgens; Photographed by Ricky Mauer in August

Senecio fulgens; Photograph by Dorette

Senecio fulgens; Photographed by Johannes Vogel

Sarcostemma viminale

Botanical name	Sarcostemma viminale
Other names	Melktou (Afrikaans)
Family	Asclepiadaceae
Dimensions	A vigorous succulent creeper growing in trees and shrubs up to several meters, sometimes stifling them; a shrub itself, if no support from another plant available
Description of stem	Leafless plant consisting of smooth, cyllindric green stems; lower base stems has a corky bark; exudes a milky latex when damaged
Description of leaves	No leaves
Description of flowers	Five yellow sepals curving upwards around less conspicuous white flower parts; summer to autumn
Description of seed/fruit	Follicles like a pair of horns, brown when ripe,opening to release soft hairy seeds
Description of roots
Variation
Propagation and cultivation
Tolerances
Uses	A gardening possibility where space is available
Ecological rarity
Pests and diseases
Other	May poison livestock in times of scarce grazing
Location	Grassland and bushveld, the hot and drier parts of the country
Distribution	Common in most of the inland parts of South Africa
Country	South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Southern Africa up to Kenya

Sarcostemma viminale in garden; Photographed by Jack Latti

Senecio rowleyanus

Botanical Name	Senecio rowleyanus
Other names	String-of-beads, string-of-pearls, Buddha's bead
	Asteraceae
Dimensions	Develops downwardly as the stems are prostrate
Description of Stem	Long trailing stems
Description of Leaves	Strings of globular, succulent green leaves, a notable, short, sharp spine at the apex; translucent stripes on the spherical leaves
Description of flowers	Small, white, brush-like flowers on long peduncles, facing upwards; narrow base of a conspicuous green calyx; appear in late winter
Description of seed/fruit
Description of roots
Variation
Propagation and Cultivation	Herbaceous stem cuttings, requires watering and good drainage
Tolerances
Uses	Grown as ground covers or for the attractive foliage; planted in hanging baskets as ornamental plants
Ecological rarity	May be rare or endangered in nature
Pests and Diseases	Aphids, cochineal, mealie bug
Other	Leaves toxic
Location
Distribution	Northern Cape (maybe?)
Country	South Africa (maybe?), Namibia

Stapelia gigantea

Botanical Name	Stapelia gigantea
Other names	Carrion flower; Aasblom(Afrikaans)
	Asclepiadaceae; succulent; perennial
Dimensions	Vertical stems of 8 to 12cm that in bigger plants spread over areas of more than a sq m
Description of Stem	The green stems performing the photosynthesis duty for the plant have five perpendicular ridges with spaced stipule-like notches; new stems grow at the outer edges of the plant and root as they multiply
Description of Leaves
Description of flowers	A cup with five spiky points at the rim forms the corolla, covered in maroon hairs and line markings
Description of seed/fruit
Description of roots
Variation

Propagation and Cultivation	A small cutting will grow easily in a variety of soil types in full or partial sun, not requiring much watering
Tolerances
Uses
Ecological rarity
Pests and Diseases	Occasional fungal growth, especially when growing in shade
Other	Pollinated by flies attracted by the unpleasant smell exuded by the flowers; the plant does not eat insects, a belief stemming from the fact that the hairy; interior of the flower sometimes traps them; similar to S grandiflora
Location
Distribution	Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North-West, Natal
Country	South Africa

Titanopsis calcarea