APHYLLA Schönland & Baker f., 1898
Synonym : Rhopalota aphylla (Schönland & Baker f.) N.E.Brown (1931)
Section Helophytum
Distribution : SA (Western Cape, Northern Cape), Fynbos mountain tops, in shallow rock pockets.
Description (by Tölken, 1985) :
Annuals 6 - 30 mm high, with one larger erect club-shaped branch and then repeatledly branching.
Leaves apparently absent but in fact fused into a fleshy ring around upper part of each internode resulting in characteristic club-shaped segments, glabrous, green to brown.
Inflorescence with terminal flower, rarely a cymule in the axil of a leaf due to sympodial growth, with 4-merous flowers.
Flowers : Calyx a fleshy ring, ca 0.5 mm long with often indistinct obtuse lobes, corolla shallowly cup-shaped, scarcely fused at base, white often tinged pink or red, petals ovate-oblong, 1 - 2 mm long, usually obtuse, more or less recurved, stamens with yellow to brown anthers.
Flowering time : August - October.
In the northern parts of the distribution area the leaves are usually more discernable and the individual follicles contain two seeds.