Euryops speciosissimus purple stem

There is a short, red-purple section on this Euryops speciosissimus upper stem. Below it the stem becomes green after a brown-marked transition part.

The flower peduncle emerging from the stem-tip is whitish to pale beige, while two short, new stems, also purple, have started growing in picture.

The leaf petioles and lobes are all green in this photo, emphasising the vascular nature of the plant that transports liquids continuously to all parts, like a chemical factory or “plant” full of pipes between sources and destinations.

This Euryops species contains much resin, part of its specific chemistry (Manning, 2007; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).