On the Road is a weekday feature spotlighting reader photo submissions.
From the exotic to the familiar, whether you’re traveling or in your own backyard, we would love to see the world through your eyes.
Mike S.
A plant which was only sort of on my bucket list for this trip to South Africa, but immediately became my favorite plant on this whole botanical expedition is called “Elephant’s trunk” in English and “Halfmens” in Afrikaans and the scientific name is Pachypodium namaquensis. We saw on two different little hills or Kopjes in Afrikaans, one with white quartzite boulders and one with sun-darkened granite-gneiss rocks. I loved them in both places. I love this species and I have a small one growing in my collection as they are pretty easy to grow from seed which is available here in the USA. I didn’t even think of bringing seeds or plants back home with me. Poaching of succulent plants is a big, big problem in South Africa and I wouldn’t dream of adding to it. Besides most of these plants are available from nurseries or seed providers in this country especially in California, Arizona or New Mexico.
Called “Elephant’s trunk” in English and “Halfmens” in Afrikaans, the scientific name of this plant is Pachypodium namaquensis.
These members of the Milkweed/dogbane family look like they might have inspired some of Dr. Seuss’ art!
Pachypodium namaquensis can grow to 8 or 10 feet tall, but most we only 4 or 5 feet tall.
Pachypodium namaquensis
The little crown of, wrinkled, grayish-green leaves is always tilted towards the sun, which is to the north here in the Southern Hemisphere. It took me me quite a while to get used to thinking of the sun being north of me!
I saw Cape Buntings (Emberiza capensis) in many places, and they always were perched at the tip top of the highest thing around, whether that was the quartzite boulder at the top of a little hill or ….
A Cape Bunting on old fencepost along a railroad track.
Another very odd plant in the dogbane/milkweed family we saw was Larryleachia marlothii and here it is in full bloom! I know you are all impressed. We also saw its cousin Larryleachia cactiformis, but that one wasn’t in bloom. These are the only two species in the genus, but there are many other genera in this family in the succulent areas of western South Africa, like Stapelia, Huernia snd Hoodia.
We supposedly saw as many as 5 or 6 species of Argyroderma (there are about 11 species in total and all are endemic to this part of S. Africa and ten of them look pretty much alike). The species are mostly diagnosed by flower-color, seed capsule shape and microscopic characters of the seeds, so I took our guide’s word for it that this is one is Argyroderma deleatii.
We saw quite a few species of small Euphorbia, but we only saw one of the large, cactus-lie ones. These Euphorbia virosa plants were over 8 feet tall and just as intimidating as any cactus, but it is another case of convergent evolution as they are in completely unrelated families.
Another bird I saw many times perched in the top of a bush singing was Karoo Prinia (Prinia maculosa) a member of the very large Old-world Warbler family. It is named after the Big and Little Karroo which are inter-mountain basins to the east of where we went on this trip, but are next on my South African bucket list as they are full, of interesting flowers, succulents and birds I’d love to see,
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BenInNM
Thanks for the photos – I love cacti / succulents and really enjoyed seeing them
stinger
Halfmens are quite adorable, deserving of their Afrikaans and English names, and indeed very Seuss-like. Great photos all!
AM in NC
Love all of these interesting plants! And yes, clearly plants can be adorable and have personality too. Thanks for the photos and the info!
Betty
A virtual cornupia of succulents. How nice.
Mike S. (Now with a Democratic Congressperson!)
Thanks everyone. When I have time to write some more I’ll be submitting more pics, maybe in a month or two,but we’re past the succulents now. Just birds and scenery including the coast, for the rest of the trip
Madeleine
I’ve really enjoyed this series. Such unusual plants, real survivors. Thanks, Mike S.
NutmegAgain
Amazing. When I looked at the first picture of Elephants Trunk, all I can see is half a person, upside down, wearing fuzzy slippers. (Yes I need new glasses.) can’t un see it now.
pieceofpeace
Many thanks!
BruceJ
If you ever get to Tucson AZ, The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (a very worthwhile visit regardless!) has (or maybe had…I cannot find it on their site any more ) a garden devoted to the convergent evolution of these succulents and cactus with examples side by side
Mike S. (Now with a Democratic Congressperson!)
@BruceJ: That would be cool! I’ve never been there, nut that is another bucket list stop for me.