Fonteinbos

Description:

Brunia noduliflora is an evergreen rounded shrub that grows 0.6–1.5 m tall, coppicing from a fire-resistant, woody base. The branches are covered with minute hairs and are closely covered with many, small, 2–3 mm long, needle-like leaves lying flat against the branch. The flowers are in dense globose heads 10 mm across, like fluffy pompons, white and fragrant, loosely or heavily clustered in corymbs (± flat-topped inflorescences in which the branches arise at different points). They are made fluffy by their long stamens, and age to an attractive brown-pink. Flowering time is mainly in autumn–winter (March to June), the flowers opening soon after the first rains. After flowering and fertilisation, the flowers fall off leaving the large, knobby, greyish-brown fruiting heads that stay on the bush for several years. New buds appear soon after the flowers, but these do not open until the following winter and are thus carried on the bush throughout the summer.

Habitat:

It is common on hills and mountains slopes of the Southwestern Cape.