Monsonia vanderietiae (Sarcocaulon vanderietiae) (live succulent)

Monsonia vanderietiae. (live succulent)

Family: Geraniaceae.

Common names: Albany bushman’s candle, Albany candle bush, Albany boesmankers, grootkersbos.

It is a low growing, deciduous, shrubby perennial with branches that grow in all directions, forming a compact, spiny mat, 100–200 mm tall and 250 mm in diameter. The main trunk is 50–80 mm in diameter, the branches are 5–10 mm in diameter, sparsely spined and grow mostly horizontally, close to the ground. The bark is olive to dark grey. The spines are thin, straight, not more than 25 mm long, with an obovate base. The leaves are small, fleshy, leathery, solitary, in the axils of the spines, very bright green and broadly elliptic to heart shaped. It bears beautiful, creamy white to pink, papery-looking flowers with a yellow centre, made up of 5 broad, crinkly petals, in the shape of a saucer. They are conspicuous, up to 30 mm wide, appearing singly, in summer.