Argyroderma

Morphological Summary

Argyroderma is a genus of highly specialized mesembs in the Aizoaceae family, characterised by plant bodies consisting of one or two pairs of very succulent, semicircular-in-section leaves in silver-grey to grey-green tones that precisely mimic the semi-translucent quartz pebbles among which they grow. The generic name derives from the Greek argyros (silver) and derma (skin), referencing the striking metallic colouration of the leaves. The flowers emerging from the central fissure are violet-pink, magenta, or white depending on the species, and represent some of the most intense floral colours in the family. The genus is strictly restricted to the quartz fields of the Western Cape Province, an ecosystem of exceptional endemic richness.