Erica grandiflora subsp. grandiflora

Erica grandiflora subsp. grandiflora, previously E. abietina subsp. aurantiaca and commonly golden heath, is an erect, strong growing shrub reaching heights between 80 cm and 1,5 m.

The needle-like leaves resemble those of some fir trees, in picture ascending, curved in and sharp-pointed. Leaf margins are rolled under. The hairless leaves become up to 2 cm long.

Flowers grow in dense groups from leaf axils near stem-tips. Short, oblong sepals are present upon the back end of the corolla in picture. Slightly curved perianths or corollas are golden-yellow, orange or red and shiny, here with the addition of a small orange-red patch. The four short perianth lobes on the long, sometimes sticky tube curve out. Perianths become from 1 cm to 3,5 cm long.

The long style is further exserted than the by now withered anthers in picture. Stamens are included in the perianth tube on some of these plants. Flowering happens in summer and early autumn. The photo was taken in March.

The subspecies distribution is in the Western Cape from Ceres to Somerset West and Ashton. The habitat is fynbos mountain slopes and flats in sandstone-derived soils. The subspecies is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org; http://redlist.sanbi.org).