regnum-plantae:

Kleinia neriifolia, Asteraceae

The third entry for the series about Lanzarote’s flora is not only a succulent, but also one of the few species of non-herbaceous Asteraceae which grow to a shrub or tree-like form. I was really hoping to see this plant, known as verode, and right upon arrival I spotted a sizeable colony growing on some sloping wasteland next to the resort where I was staying, so it was a good start to my botanical mission. Endemic to the Canary Islands, this curious plant shows some local variations across the archipelago, but generally develops a short, stout, woody trunk supporting a widely-ramified canopy of articulated branches with an apical tuft of leaves, giving it a very characteristic shape and place in the landscape.  

I suppose if the seedheads still retaining the white silky pappus typical of Asteraceae weren’t present, verode could be taken for an Euphorbia, E. balsamifera in particular, but that’s another case of convergent evolution of two unrelated plants sharing the same environment and being faced with the same challenges and limiting factors. Even if I had not known about it, I could have probably guessed, as I own a small K. articulata and have become familiar with what a succulent Asteracea could look like (to be noted is that both species are alternatively listed as Kleinia and Senecio). Like most members of this family, its copious amounts of scented flowers are very important for wildlife in a place where resources are scarce, but due to its ornamental qualities it has also been introduced to other areas of the world where its light and temperature requirements are met and can be grown successfully as a houseplant in a very bright position.