Barleria pungens

Barleria pungens is a prickly shrublet, sometimes regarded as a perennial herb, reaching 15 cm to 40 cm in height.

The simple, nearly sessile leaves grow opposite on stiff, hairy branches. The leaf-shape is ovate, the blades ending in acute points with spiny tips. The specific name, pungens, is derived from the Latin word, pungere, meaning to prick, referring to the sharp spines on leaves and bracts.

The leaf margins are entire and fringed by longish hairs. The leaves have stiff hairs on the lower surfaces, sometimes only along the midribs.

The species distribution is in the east of the Western Cape from Riversdale to the west of the Eastern Cape as far as Gqeberha.

The habitat is dry scrubveld and renosterveld slopes. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Curtis-Scott, et al, 2020; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; JSTOR; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).