Phylica imberbis var. eriophoros flowerheads

The whitish flowerheads of Phylica imberbis var. eriophoros usually grow solitary at the branch tips. The flowers of the genus are bisexual, floral parts occurring in fives. The flowerhead is covered in fine, whitish hairs. Some pointed sepals are seen here, turning dark upon ageing.

Flowering commences at the end of spring and may continue until mid-autumn. The fruit is a dehiscent capsule, globose in shape and turning black upon ripening.

The larvae of the fynbos blue, a butterfly of the region, scientifically known as Tarucus thespis, feed on P. imberbis plants (Privett and Lutzeyer, 2010; Moriarty, 1997).