Erica unicolor subsp. unicolor

Erica unicolor subsp. unicolor, sometimes called the green onecolour heath and previously scientifically E. hirta var. viridiflora and E. viridescens respectively at different stages, is a shrub reaching heights around 1 m. The plant forms part of the Evanthe section of the Eric genus.

The soft, narrow leaves grow densely or sparsely in whorls, ascending on the stems. The hairy leaves are dark green, their pointed tips may curve in slightly.

The flowers grow short-stalked or possibly stalkless in small clusters from stem-tips or the tips of short side-branchlets. The calyx is narrow-lobed and leaf-like.

The tubular, sticky flowers are cylindrical, yellow or greenish yellow and shiny. The perianth tip may bulge and curve slightly, its four rounded lobes not curving out. Styles and stamens are included, sometimes manifest or present in the mouth. Flowering happens from late autumn to early spring.

The species distribution is in the southeast of the Western Cape from Riversdale on the coastal mountains to the Eastern Cape as far as Humansdorp. The photo was taken on the Outeniqua Mountains.

The habitat is fynbos growing on lower sandstone slopes and flats. The subspecies is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).