Erica brachialis leafy stem tips

The ascending leaves of Erica brachialis grow spiralling and loosely overlapping on the whitish, stems in picture. Old, branching stems become woody growing erectly, the central stem reaching 3 cm in diameter near the base.

The rolled under leaf margins are whitish, showing a little green gap of lower leaf surface between them seen from behind.

A couple of still dark green buds covered in sparse hairs are emerging, sepals around the developing corollas while upper bracts are not far behind. Some of the old, withered flowers in the background still retain exserted styles, thread-like and brown (www.plantzafrica.com).