Massonia echinata

We are talking about a succulent plant with an easily recognizable appearance, consisting of an underground bulb from which only two opposite leaves branch off, obovate and rather large compared to the bulb which maintains small dimensions. A peculiarity of this specimen is certainly the thick but very short hair that covers the skin, such as not to be very noticeable to the eye, but to give the surface a velvety texture to the touch. In winter, when most of the vegetation is still dormant, exactly in the center between the two leaves, a showy white tuft made up of many small flowers blooms which, thanks to its long pistils, looks very similar overall to a sea urchin (hence the name of the species, which in ancient Latin indicates this marine animal).