Erica bruniades

Erica bruniades, commonly known as the kapokkie (little snow), is a loose or compact, bushy shrublet growing to 45 cm. Its pale brown branches are hairy.

The leaves grow in threes, from 2 mm to 5 mm in length. They are narrowly linear with blunt tips, adpressed to the stems or spreading, often sparsely spaced. White hairiness is visible on the spreading leaves in picture.

The species distribution is in the Western Cape from the Cape Peninsula northwards to Vanrhynsdorp and the Gifberg, eastwards to Bredasdorp.

The habitat is flats and lower fynbos slopes in sandstone, usually in damp and peaty spots or near streams. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Manning and Helme, 2024; Manning, 2007; Baker and Oliver, 1967; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).