Eriocephalus africanus var. paniculatus

Eriocephalus africanus var. paniculatus is an erect, single-stemmed, aromatic shrub growing to heights around 1 m and 60 cm wide.

The distribution of the variety is inland in the Northern Cape, the Western Cape and the Eastern Cape. The photo was taken in the Kouga Valley.

The habitat is clay or granite slopes above elevations of 100 m, where the plants grow in fynbos or renosterveld. The plants may be common in veld that has escaped fire for long. The variety is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

The fluffy wool around the achenes, the fruits, used to be collected for stuffing cushions (Curtis-Scott, et al, 2020; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; Gledhill, 1981; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).