Early branching around the initial leaf rosette of Mesembryanthemum barklyi shows new stems angling out after rain in August. These branches will produce flowers and later elongate, forming additional rosettes as the biennial plant matures.

An Afrikaans common name, boesmanseep (bushman soap), refers to the glassy papillae on the leaves that will moisten hands that rub the leaf. It is said that the Nama hunters of old used to rub hairs off antelope hides using these leaves, a practice copied by the early Namaqualand farmers (Le Roux, et al, 2005; Eliovson, 1990; iNaturalist).