Phylica buxifolia

Phylica buxifolia, commonly the box hardleaf and in Afrikaans the bukshardeblaar (box hardleaf), is a much-branched shrub or small tree growing a dense, rounded crown at heights up to 4 m (SA Tree List No. 453.1).

The specific name, buxifolia, is derived from the Latin words buxus meaning the box tree and folium meaning leaf, referring to the leaf resemblance to leaves of the box tree.

The pointed, dark green leaves contrast against the white flowers and creamy new growth at stem tips. There are soft, yellowish brown hairs on the young upper stems.

The species distribution is in the far southwest of the Western Cape from the Cape Peninsula to around Caledon. This bush sporting a lush crown was seen in the Fernkloof Nature Reserve during March.

The habitat is rocky lower slopes in fynbos or among boulders. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century (Bean and Johns, 2005; Coates Palgrave, 2002; Andrew, 2017; http://redlist.sanbi.org).