Metarungia longistrobus

Sunbirds are expected to be active around the flowers of the sunbird bush, Metarungia longistrobus, particularly in autumn. The Afrikaans name of sonbekkiebos (little sun beak bush) may refer partly to the plant and partly to its chief pollinators.

These unusual beige-brown, ribbon-like flowers belong to one of the rarer species seen in Mjejane. The upper lip of the corolla is hooded with stamens concealed inside, the lower one short and twisted.

The shade-adapted, evergreen shrub has decussate leaves, the opposite leaves succeeding each other in pairs at right angles to those above and below, resulting in four vertical leaf columns up the stems (Schmidt, et al, 2002; Onderstall, 1994; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).