Description:

• Compact, dwarf perennials with leaf pairs forming ± spheroid bodies, stemless but with one to several branches, sometimes forming clumps with age
• Leaves approximately 30 mm long, 20 mm wide, connate for a third to two-thirds of their length, separated by a shallow or deep fissure from which flowers arise; epidermis with variously sized indentations and horny ridges, or leaves smooth with scattered dark green or purple dots, greyish green
• Flowers solitary, terminal, on short, stout, winged pedicel, appearing sessile, 30-50 mm in diameter, ebracteate; opening late in afternoon, closing by evening
• Sepals (6)7(8), unequal, pubescent, some with membranous margins
• Petals many, free or somewhat connate at base, spreading, light to dark yellow
• Stamens papillate or glabrous near base, collected in a cone
• Nectary a crenulate ring
• Ovary convex or somewhat conical above; placentas parietal; stigmas 6-15, subulate, diverging, papillate or plumose
• Fruit a 6-15-locular capsule, of Delosperma type; shortly and broadly obconic, flattish, with slightly raised sutures on top; valve wings well developed; expanding keels closely contiguous into a central keel; covering membranes reduced to a limb, narrow or 0; closing bodies 0
• Seeds many in each locule, very small and finely rough, white or brownish
• x = 9 (1 report)

• Flowering from late summer to mid-winter

• Distinguishing characters:
  • Single-bodied or as small clumps
  • Leaves often with distinct keel
  • Pedicels short and stout
  • Sepals 6-8

Nomenclature:

• Dinteranthus Schwantes
  • Schwantes: 184 (1926)
  • Friedrich: 35 (1970)
  • Herre: 132 (1971)
  • Sauer: 9 (1975)
  • Sauer: t. 1778 (1978)
  • Smith et al.: 96 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa: Species 4, NW parts of the Northern Cape, and the southeastern parts of Namibia. Its distribution area is bounded by Prieska in the southeast, Sperlingspütz in the west and Karasberg in the north