Berzelia

Berzelia is a genus of evergreen, ericoid shrubs, sometimes small trees in the Bruniaceae family. Some produce coppice shoots, sprouting from lignotubers.

The spirally overlapping, stalked leaves are small, usually linear, rarely broadly ovate, not pressed to the stems. Dark stipules are present.

From 80 to 130 tiny, bisexual florets are borne in each spherical flowerhead. The heads grow in clusters with narrowly elliptic to club-shaped receptacles. The involucral bracts are elliptic to ovate, usually with stipules, the floral bracts narrowly elliptic to spoon-shaped, usually without stipules. There are also 2 bracteoles and a ribbed floral receptacle. The calyx has free sepals, usually linear and dark-tipped.

The corolla is white, cream or sometimes red, comprising oblong or lanceolate petals that may be clawed and crested. The young stamens usually have arched filaments. The half-inferior ovary has two locules. The two styles are cylindrical, often diverging. Brunia plants are similar but with one style and incurved leaves pressed to the stems. Berzelia flowers have no nectaries and often little or no scent. When there is fragrance, it resembles coffee or fish.

The plants flower in spring and summer.

The fruit is often formed of the expanded ovary wall, sometimes indehiscent, otherwise with two to four valves. The seeds are mostly ellipsoid.

There are 12 Berzelia species, all in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape fynbos.

The plants are used in the flower market, the distinctly coloured kolle (patches) of Berzelia plants in the veld giving the genus its common name of kolkol. The plants are also popular in gardens, grown from seed or cuttings in full sun and well-drained soil.

The plant in picture may be Berzelia lanuginosa (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; Wikipedia).