Dicoma fruticosa

Dicoma fruticosa is a rigid shrub reaching 60 cm in height.

The many, thickish, bright green leaves are narrowly obovate or oblong to spoon-shaped with inconspicuous midribs and acutely pointed tips. The hard blades are often sticky when young. Leaf dimensions are about 10 mm long and 5 mm wide.

The species is endemic to the west of the Little Karoo. The photo was taken near Vanwyksdorp.

The habitat is karoid veld. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century.

The plant is only browsed by stock and game as a last resort in famine conditions (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Netnou and Van Wyk, 2007: A Key to Dicoma Taxa (Dicomeae) in Southern Africa. Bothalia 37,1 (2007); iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).