Mesembryanthemum crystallinum

Native to Africa and southern Europe, this succulent annual forms broad mats with sprawling stems. Its leaves and stems are covered with enlarged, glistening bladder cells that resemble ice crystals. White to pink or mauve flowers have numerous narrow segments and open singly, reaching about one to two inches across. It grows in dry and coastal habitats, including salty soils, dunes, cliffs, and disturbed ground. It is invasive along the California coast and on the Channel Islands, where salt accumulation and persistent mats of dead foliage inhibit native plants. Photographed in Peru.