Conophytum obcordellum
Family: Mesembryanthemaceae
It grows usually in multiheaded clusters forming a small mat or mound 20-30 mm high. Each head is 8-20 mm in diameter with a small fissure on its upper surface from which the flower will emerge in autumn.
Sowing instructions: The small seeds can be sown in pots of fine, well-drained sand, any time during the summer months when temperatures are warm. Cover the seeds with a very fine layer of grit and water from below with a fungicide to prevent damping off. For the first 3-4 days cover the pots with a sheet of glass/clear Perspex to keep the humidity levels high. Remove the glass and replace it with light shade cloth and mist once or twice a day for the next two weeks after which most seeds should have germinated. From then on misting can be reduced to every second and then every third day as the little plants grow.
Locality: Elands Bay. Harvest: February 2024