The plant looks like a baby's bottom.

In South Africa, the Bababoutjies succulent, endemic to the Klein Karoo Valley, is only 6 cm tall but attracts attention due to its unique shape.

Bababoutjies ( Gibguaeum heathii ) is a succulent plant that grows in clumps in South Africa. Photo: Alamy

A tiny plant growing in a vast valley surrounded by mountains in South Africa often makes people laugh. The reason why this plant, which is only 6 cm tall, is so funny is revealed in its name: Bababoutjies – meaning baby's bottom, Live Science reported on August 12.

Bababoutjies ( Gibbiaeum heathii ) are succulents that grow in clumps, developing 2-3 smooth, spherical leaves. The older leaves protect the new ones, growing from the base and covering the stem. Flowers emerge through the center around late winter to early spring, varying in color from white, pink to yellow. The leaves are usually grayish-green, but as new leaves emerge, the older leaves may turn pink under certain conditions, making the plant look even more like a baby's bottom.

"Many succulents change color from green to red, and this is often a reaction to stress caused by water and light. If the plant receives too much light, it will turn red to protect itself from sunburn. Additionally, if there is a prolonged lack of water, they may also turn red to cope with the situation," said Paul Rees, nursery manager at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, in London.

Bababoutjies are endemic to Klein Karoo, Western Cape Province, South Africa. Here, they grow among quartzite rocks, a type of rock that reflects heat, creating a cooler environment for them, according to the National Institute for Biodiversity of South Africa. Klein Karoo is a valley 40-60 km wide and 350 km long. The valley is surrounded by many mountains, resulting in very little annual rainfall.

According to the South African Botanical Society, Klein Karoo is part of the South African Succulent Karoo Community – one of the richest and most diverse succulent habitats on the planet. An estimated 3,200 plant species live in Klein Karoo, of which 400 are found nowhere else in the world .

Many of these species are threatened by illegal harvesting for the horticultural trade, overgrazing, and climate change. Klein Karoo is expected to experience increasingly severe droughts in the next century. Researchers say this could have catastrophic consequences for the plant life in this biodiverse region.

Thu Thao (According to Live Science )

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