Brunia laevis

Brunia laevis is a rounded shrub reaching 1,5 m in height. It sprouts after fire from a woody rootstock. The branches are finely hairy, the leaves stalkless and small. They cling in regular overlap to the stems that appear white velvety in the photo. The leaf-shape is oblong, curving in at their tips.

The globose flowerheads that grow in loose clusters comprise many tiny white or cream flowers. The photo shows two stages of flowerhead development, dotted grey buds and fluffy, cream open flowerheads. In flower a head measures 1,5 cm to 2 cm in diameter, the size enhanced by the many long stamens. Flowering occurs from late in winter to summer.

The species is distributed in the southwest of the Western Cape, from the Hottentots Holland Mountains to Bredasdorp.

The habitat is fynbos on sandstone and limestone slopes. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; http://redlist.sanbi.org).