Athanasia trifurcata

Athanasia trifurcata, in Afrikaans commonly the Klaaslouwbos (Klaas Louw bush), is a variable shrub growing erect branches from a single stem to heights from 60 cm to 1,5 m.

The A. trifurcata distribution is widespread from southern Namaqualand in the Northern Cape through the Western Cape coastally and the Little Karoo to the Eastern Cape as far as Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).

The habitat is flats and rocky slopes among variable vegetation. It may invade fallow fields and patches of degraded and disturbed soil such as along roadsides. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century.

An Afrikaans common name, kouterbos (coulter bush) for this and other Athanasia species, originates from the trouble farmers experienced with the branches of this plant collecting on the coulters of their ploughs, requiring them to stop all too often for removing the plant debris. The coulter is a sharp blade, a wheel-like disc with sharp edge attached to the beam of a plough, acting as a cutter of the ground ahead of the ploughshare. Maybe the original Klaas Louw was a bothersome person, or maybe he was charged with cleaning the plough (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).