Orbea lutea subsp. vaga

Orbea lutea subsp. vaga, and previously scientifically Caralluma brownii en C. nebrownii, is a dwarf stem succulent that clumps and reaches heights around 18 cm.

The erect stems have triangular protuberances, fleshy tubercles or teeth in vertical columns that are laterally flattened and sharply pointed. The stem surfaces are greyish green on the older ones, pale green where the summer rain has brought new growth. Irregularly shaped dark red blotches, spots and streaks are scattered upon the stems, except on top of every tooth where a white ridge is present.

More than halfway up each tooth two small, lateral, protuberances or branches are visible, called rudimentary denticles by White and Sloane. The teeth become markedly narrower immediately above these two small branches.

The dark red-brown, five-lobed flowers grow in clusters low on the stems. Some are present near stem bases in picture. There are marginal and limb surface hairs on the pointed corolla lobes. The outer corona is bowl-shaped with rectangular lobes. The inner corona lobes are sickle-shaped and only 4 mm long, shorter than the yellow anthers.

The subspecies distribution is in the Northern Cape and possibly in Namibia and Botswana.

The habitat is arid scrubveld. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Smith, et al, 2017; White and Sloane, 1937; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).