Kleinia stapeliiformis, a member of the Asteraceae or daisy family, has a red flowerhead comprising only disc florets (the tiny closely clustered flowers that make up the central, usually flat part of any daisy). There are no ray florets (flowers with one petal-like protrusion at the margin of the flowerhead). This species is also succulent, unlike so many of the admired South African daisies that are soft herbs or woody shrubs.

K. stapeliiformis grows among shrubs or grasses in parts of Mpumalanga. It is drought resistant, although not too happy when transplanted in areas with very cold winters. The striped stems are just about leafless. The flowers appear on long slender stalks that emanate from the tops of the thick succulent stems. The brightly red flowers are very noticeable in habitat.

This plant is one of the 17 species that were moved from the Senecio genus to Kleinia in the 1980s (www.desert-tropicals.com).