Delosperma lavisiae unusually incurved petals

Delosperma lavisiae is one of the ice plants or douvygies (dew mesembs) in Afrikaans. The admired feature is the shiny leaf surface cells that sparkle in sunlight. These surface water storage cell, or bladder cells, are found on the leaves of plants belonging to several Aizoaceae genera. The photo was taken in January in the Mkhomazi Wilderness Area in the Drakensberg.

D. lavisiae plants tend to spread a little, forming dense but small, low-growing leaf-mats upon which many flowers appear in spring and summer. The incurved petal tips seen here are unusual (Smith, et al, 1998; iNaturalist).