Drosanthemum giffenii

Drosanthemum giffenii, commonly known as Giffen’s dewfig or in Afrikaans the doublaarvygie (dew leaf mesemb), is a sprawling shrublet, reaching 80 cm in height. The creeping stems root at nodes that touch the ground.

The species distribution is in the Western Cape, in the Little Karoo and across the Swartberg Mountains to Prince Albert, as well as to the south around Riversdale.

The plant, growing in loamy soils, is often browsed. Large stands indicate well-managed veld. The species is deemed vulnerable in its habitat early in the twenty first century, due to overgrazing (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; iSpot; www.redlist.sanbi.org).