96. 2019.10.29 – These are pictures of H. bayeri that Gerhard Marx sent me and he knows the species better than I do.

Here are the only other pictures I have of H. bayeri. I wish I did know more about that group of retuse-leaved species from the eastern Little Karoo e.g. springbokvlakensis, bruynsii and comptoniana. I have memories of odd individual plants from S Oudtshoorn to the western end Baviaanskloof as well as several reports of finds that need explanation.

Reviewing my thoughts on springbokvlakensis and bayeri in respect of my perception of the greater retusa group, I think someone with an open mind, should really consider the possibility that this is also a single gene pool? I am busy with a short discussion of the perception we have about species and how we may just be locked in an acceptance of a mindless species concept. Do you remember what a botanist said about using a species definition based on non-interbreeding elements and morphology simply being used as a surrogate? ♦