Zygophyllum cordifolium on a barren slope

The leaf-shape of Zygophyllum cordifolium led to its Afrikaans common names: sjielingbos (shilling bush) or geldjiesbos (little money bush). These leaves are blue-green, round to heart-shaped, succulent and opposite, sometimes with red margins. The plant was previously known scientifically as Roepera cordifolia.

The flower of Z. cordifolium has five elliptic cream or yellow petals, here with V-shaped red-brown markings at the base and irregular notching at the petal apex. Flowers have large segmented anthers on curved filaments (Manning, 2009; iSpot).