Euphorbia gariepina subsp. gariepina, the gariepmelkbos (Gariep milk bush), as the name suggests, is found close to the Gariep River in the Richtersveld and Bushmanland to the east of it. In this barren part of the world these plants may appear on bare soil among rocks and pebbles, creating their own above-ground protective covering to cool the ground where the roots reside.
After rain this changes fast as dormant seeds, having lain in wait for ages, suddenly germinate. Moisture and every available nutrient is used to produce seed before the next test is posed. During drought in hot or cold phases, geophytes are forced underground, shrubs lose their leaves and annuals disappear, leaving just a legacy of seed. In the case of E. gariepina subsp. gariepina, a stem succulent, these leafless stems hold the fortitude key (Van Jaarsveld, et al, 2006).
(There are more E. gariepina subsp. gariepina photos in the Euphorbia Album under Genera.)