Erica plukenetii subsp. plukenetii

Erica plukenetii subsp. plukenetii differs from most of the other subspecies of E. plukenetii only in its sepals that are oval to lance-shaped and from 2 mm to 7 mm long.

The plant in picture has already started growing more stem and leaves above the inflorescence in picture. The flowers are not all mature yet though, some still lacking their exserted brown anthers and some not showing the yellow perianth tips. The pedicels from leaf axils are long, the bracts upon them small and positioned far back. The sharply pointed, narrow sepals are straight. Their tips veer away from the flowers, not following the rounded curves of the perianth bases.

The subspecies grows widespread in the Western Cape.

The habitat is fynbos mountain slopes in sandstone. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Manning and Helme, 2024; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).