Coral Crassula

Appearance

Crassula corallina is a succulent perennial with short stems, up to 2 inch (5 cm) tall. The tiny greenish white leaves are opposite. It produces panicles of white six-stellate flowers.

Distribution

Crassula corallina is widely distributed from the Free State and Eastern Cape to the Richtersveld in South Africa, and south-western Namibia.

Crassula corallina Thunb.: (subsp. corallina) has fibrous roots with branches up to 80 mm long, leaves angular-obovate, 3-5 mm long. Distribution: Free State and Eastern Cape to the Richtersveld and south-western Namibia.
Crassula corallina subs. macrorrhiza Toelken: has tuberous roots, prostrate stems usually without adventitious roots. Distribution: Bushmanland and south-eastern Namibia.

Habitat

It grows in quartzite outcrops in desert-like habitat and dry floodplain. The plant spreads, forming a dense mat that may assist in retaining moisture longer around its own tuberous underground reservoir. Plants may rarely persist for a long time and then develop a thick stem and a thick main root (in subsp. macrorrhiza the branches are always thinner than the very much swollen tap root). The the area is often cold and snowy instead of excruciatingly hot in its blooming season.