Erica coccinea subsp. coccinea

Erica coccinea subsp. coccinea is a bushy shrub or shrublet growing many erect stems covered in numerous short-shoots in its upper parts, to heights around 1,2 m. The multistemmed plant resprouts after fire. An earlier name of the plant, E. coccinea var. pubescens suggests hairiness at least on some plant parts, or only during certain stages.

The subspecies distribution is widespread across the southern parts of the Western Cape, extending northwards to the Cederberg in the west. The photo was taken in the hills north of Caledon. The other subspecies, subsp. uniflora that bears solitary stem-tip flowers instead of groups of about three, is restricted to the southerly coastal parts.

The habitat of subsp. coccinea is fynbos on rocky slopes and flats. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Manning and Helme, 2024; iNaturalist; https://pza.sanbi.org; https://redlist.sanbi.org).