Drosanthemum floribundum

Drosanthemum floribundum, commonly known as purple carpet, is a much-branched, prostrate and clumped perennial. The wiry branches are usually well-covered in soft white hairs.

The paired leaves are cylindrical and succulent, growing decussate. The leaves are angled up or curved up and round-tipped at the variably spaced nodes. The pale green, bright green to grey-green leaf surfaces are covered in fine, glistening water cells.

The species distribution is coastal in the Western and Eastern Cape from Elands Bay to Port Elizabeth. The plants grow in brackish sandy or dry clay soils. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century.

The plant may be naturalised in at least Australia, the USA and Portugal (Smith, et al, 2017; Smith, et al, 1998; Manning and Goldblatt, 1996; iNaturalist; Wikipedia; http://redlist.sanbi.org).