Mesembryanthemum noctiflorum

Mesembryanthemum noctiflorum, in Afrikaans commonly the aandvygie (evening mesemb) or vleisbos (meat bush) and previously scientifically Aridaria noctiflora, is an erect shrub reaching about 1 m in height.

The deciduous leaves grow on hard stems that branch at nearly right angles, smooth and often red brown. The leaves are paired, opposite, fused at the base and curved in with erect tips. Grey green, cylindrical and smooth, the leaves are round tipped with flattened water cells on the surfaces. Leaf length is up to 5 cm.

The species distribution is in the Northern Cape from Namaqualand, the Western Cape around Clanwilliam, the Karoo and Little Karoo to the Eastern Cape, as well as in some neighbouring countries, including Namibia. The photo was taken near Oudtshoorn on the Minwater farm.

The habitat is succulent Karoo in sandy and loam soils. None of the three subspecies is considered threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

The plants are not browsed (Van Rooyen and Van Rooyen, 2019; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Smith, et al, 1998; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).