South Africa never lacks the wonders of nature. Such as king protea, the national flower of South Africa and Cape aloe, a desert plant that is widely used in medications and cosmetics. In the Karoo, a semi-desert natural region of South Africa, there is an indigenous plant that looks so impressive. It's Euphorbia obesa, a subtropical succulent species that looks like a baseball.
The plant resembles a ball and looks so cute! But be careful of its latex. It's toxic!
The baseball plant blooms during the summer and its flowers emit delicate smell to attract pollinators. It is a long-lived perennial plant. But due to over-collecting, the plant is endangered and rarely seen in the wild.
Here are some close-up photos of the baseball plant.
Close-up of a baseball plant (Euphorbia obesa). /VCG Photo
The baseball plant is a long-lived perennial. /VCG Photo
The baseball plant blooms in summer. /VCG Photo
Close-up of a baseball plant. /VCG Photo
The baseball plant is endangered in the wild. /VCG Photo
About 'Plants & Nations'
"Plants & Nations" is a series of articles and pictures about common plants in the world. It serves as a guide to beautiful plants from different countries.
For more articles and pictures, please click here:
The double coconut: The rare-shaped plant from Seychelles
The pomegranate: Symbol of Granada, Spain
Blue water lily: The sacred flower of ancient Egypt
The ebullient 'Red Lady' in Malaysia
Dahlia: Mexico's national flower
(Cover image via VCG)
(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)