Thamnochortus rigidus

Thamnochortus rigidus is a clump-forming species that becomes up to 80 cm tall and does not resprout after fire. There are often sterile branches from the nodes on the velvety stems.

Male plants bear many pendulous spikelets in each culm. The female plants bear their spikelets erectly.

The species distribution is in the Western Cape from the Cederberg to the Little Karoo and slightly into the west of the Eastern Cape, as far as Baviaanskloof. The photo was taken at Minwater near Oudtshoorn.

The habitat is fynbos on dry, rocky mountain slopes. The habitat population is considered of least concern early in the twenty first century.

T. cinereus is similar but occurs in wetter terrain and resprouts after fire (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Dorrat-Haaksma and Linder, 2012; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).