Pachypodium namaquanum
(Wyley ex Harv.) Welw.
Elephant's trunk, Halfmens
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) corliapieterse, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Jean Audissou, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
iNaturalist· cc-by-nc
(c) Troos van der Merwe, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Troos van der Merwe
Summary
Source: WikipediaPachypodium namaquanum, also known as halfmens or elephants trunk, is a Southern African succulent plant in the Dogbane family (Apocynaceae). The genus name Pachypodium is from the Greek for 'thick foot', an allusion to its swollen base, while the species name namaquanum is a reference to Namaqualand.
Description
A succulent plant. It has a swollen stem. It grows 3 m tall. It has lumps with a spine at the end arranged in spirals around the stem. The leaves are in rings at the top and are 3-12 cm long by 1-4 cm wide. The fruit are follicles 2.5-4 cm long. They have grey hairs and taper to the tip. There are many flattened seeds.
Known Hazards
The plant is poisonous.
Distribution
It is a subtropical plant. It grows on rocky arid slopes.
Where It Grows
Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Southern Africa,
Cultivation
Plants are grown from seed. Plants are slow growing and can last for many years. It can be grown by cuttings.
Notes
Plants are protected by law.
