Late Goldfig

Carpanthea pomeridiana

Carpanthea pomeridiana is a rapidly growing, hairy, annual, leaf succulent with a spreading, decumbent growth habit. Branches are reclining, hairy to sparsely hairy, reaching a height of 150-300 mm and with a spread of 200-300 mm. The roots are fibrous. The lower main stem grows about 5 mm in diameter, the upper stems terete, 2-3 mm in diameter. The leaves are in opposite pairs, horizontal to ascending, softly succulent, flat, united at the base, and are spoon-shaped to spear-shaped, 3.5-10 × 10-25 mm; the petiole channelled at the base, light green; the leaf margin minutely ciliate. The leaf end is acute to blunt (obtuse) to subacute.

The flowers are produced terminally, 1-3 on long pedicels, 40-170 mm long; the floral bracts 20-50 × 30-70 mm. The flowers in cymes, are rich golden-yellow and about 40-70 mm in diameter. The sepals are unequal with 2 of them leafy. Petals dense, in many series, these are linear, pointed and silk-like. Stamens plentiful, at first inflexed and later becoming spreading, exposing the stigmas. The ovary is inferior, the placentas basal, 12-20 and filiform, pointed. The fruit (receptacle) is flat, bowl-shaped and 15-20 mm in diameter and 10 mm deep. When dry hygrochastical, opening with moisture, releasing the small seeds. These are roundish angular, black, 1,5 mm in diameter, the epidermis minutely papillate.