Tulista minima var. minima

Tulista minima var. minima is a stemless leaf succulent that may form clumps, but slowly.

The inflorescence becomes 49 cm tall, branching a little. The lax raceme carries about ten flowers, spirally arranged and only one or two open simultaneously. The flower or perianth segments are white, their keels broad.

There are pointed, membranous bracts on the inflorescence, as on Tulista inflorescences in general; sterile ones on the peduncle and floral ones in the raceme below every flower pedicel.

The plant is an endemic of the Western Cape, found from Bredasdorp to Hartenbos near the coast and inland north of the Langeberg Mountains. The plants grow in renosterveld and fynbos on limestone ridges and stony slopes.

This widespread species is common, though its population is decreasing, threatened by habitat loss. This is due to the impact of human activities over much of the plant’s range, but it is not yet considered in danger of extinction (Scott, 1985; www.theplantlist.org; www.redlist.sanbi.org).