Eriocephalus ericoides subsp. ericoides wool

A closer look at the Eriocephalus ericoides subsp. ericoides woolly white fruit coverings indicate a shape like a slovenly whorled-up ball of wool or a poorly finished cocoon for harbouring an insect chrysalis or pupa.

On a strongish breeze these balls should fly fairly well, but birds taking the seeds as a substitute for feathering their nests are known to serve as seed dispersers for Eriocephalus.

The woody stems in picture are cluttered with small, opposite spur-branchlets, some even carrying departing or arriving leaf growth. The leaves of this plant are quite small (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010).