Felicia brevifolia

Felicia brevifolia is an erect, evergreen shrublet or shrub reaching heights from 20 cm to 1,5 m. The old, woody stems have grey bark, sometimes quite dark and fibrous, the plants much-branched. Old flowerhead remains in picture are nearly white, the star-shaped, dry bract rings on rigid stalks.

The species distribution is in the Northern Cape from the Richtersveld through Namaqualand as far east as Calvinia and southwards to the western interior of the Western Cape around Ceres. The photo was taken at Kagga Kamma.

The habitat is rocky slopes where the conditions are arid to semi-arid. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

The plant is keenly browsed by game and stock (Le Roux, et al, 2005; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; http://redlist.sanbi.org).