Huernia zebrina subsp. zebrina

Huernia zebrina subsp. zebrina is a dwarf stem succulent, growing stems to about 6 cm. The green stems are five-angled, stem ridges compressed with stout, conical teeth spaced up them.

As for the flowers, the five obtusely pointed corolla lobes are pale creamy yellow with broad maroon lines transversely across them. While these lines make this the zebra-like Huernia, they are overshadowed by the doughnut-shaped, shiny, maroon ring, the annulus around the flower centre.

This centre is a short tube where the corona resides. The outer corona has oblong lobes notched in the centre; the inner corona has small deltoid to lanceolate lobes with acute tips. Flower diameter is about 4 cm. Flowering occurs in summer to early autumn. The fruit, the long follicle is also blotched purple.

The distribution of this subspecies is in the north of KwaZulu-Natal and the east of Mpumalanga and Limpopo. It also grows widespread in Swaziland and at least in Mozambique and Zimbabwe. The plant is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (White and Sloane, 1973; Pooley, 1998; www.redlist.sanbi.org).