''Gunniopsis zygophylloides'', commonly known as the twin-leaf pigface, is a

succulent In botany, succulent plants, also known as succulents, are plants with parts that are thickened, fleshy, and engorged, usually to retain water in arid climates or soil conditions. The word ''succulent'' comes from the Latin word ''sucus'', meani ...

plant in the iceplant family,

Aizoaceae The Aizoaceae, or fig-marigold family, is a large family of dicotyledonous flowering plant Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is d ...

. It is endemic to

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. The greenish perennial shrub typically grows to a height of . It has green to yellow-green leaves that are ovate to

obovate The following is a list of terms which are used to describe leaf morphology in the description and taxonomy of plants. Leaves may be simple (a single leaf blade or lamina) or compound (with several leaflets). The edge of the leaf may be regular o ...

in shape. Leaves are up to long and . It blooms between July and October producing solitary green and yellow flowers. The plant is found in rocky areas on ranges and on shale or quartzite. It is distributed through north central parts of South Australia and also in the southern portion of the Northern Territory. The species was formally described by the

botanist Botany, also called , plant biology or phytology, is the science of plant life and a branch of biology. A botanist, plant scientist or phytologist is a scientist who specialises in this field. The term "botany" comes from the Ancient Greek wo ...

Ludwig Diels Dr. Friedrich Ludwig Emil Diels (24 September 1874 – 30 November 1945) was a German botanist. Diels was born in Hamburg, the son of the classical scholar Hermann Alexander Diels. From 1900 to 1902 he traveled together with Ernst Georg Prit ...

in 1904 in his work with

Georg August Pritzel Georg August Pritzel (2 September 1815, Carolath – 14 June 1874) was a German librarian and botanical writer. He studied in Breslau, graduating with a dissertation titled ''Anemonarum revisio''. In 1851 he began work as a ''Hülfsarbeiter'' at ...

, ''Fragmenta Phytographiae Australiae occidentalis. Beitrage zur Kenntnis der Pflanzen Westaustraliens, ihrer Verbreitung und ihrer Lebensverhaltnisse. Botanische Jahrbücher für Systematik, Pflanzengeschichte und Pflanzengeographie''. This name is often misapplied to ''

Gunniopsis calcarea ''Gunniopsis calcarea'', commonly known as the Nullarbor Gunniopsis or the yellow flowered pigface, is a succulent plant in the iceplant family, Aizoaceae. It is endemic to Australia. The shrub has an erect and spreading habit typically growin ...

''.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q15582644 zygophylloides Flora of South Australia Flora of the Northern Territory Plants described in 1904 Taxa named by Ferdinand von Mueller