Hardebos / Heath phylica

Description:

Phylica ericoides (var. ericoides ) is a much-branched, compact, bushy evergreen shrub usually reaching 0.6 m with equal spread but older bushes left to their own devices can reach 1 m. Branches are slender with a sparse covering of short, fine, grey hairs. Leaves are lance-shaped to linear, obtuse or nearly acute, and rounded or heart-shaped at the base, 5-8 mm long, closely set, alternate, simple and have a short petiole. The margins are rolled under (revolute) so that they almost cover the entire lower leaf surface. The upper surface is often rough and usually hairless, or the margin and midrib are sparsely hairy when young. The undersurface is covered with short, fine grey hairs.

Habitat:

Is widespread, it occurs on coastal slopes, dunes and deep sands from Saldanha to Paarl and the Cape Peninsula, to Port Elizabeth and into southern tropical Africa.