Helichrysum rosum

Helichrysum rosum, in Afrikaans known as bergankerkaroo (mountain anchor Karoo), is a sprawling shrublet reaching heights around 50 cm. Ankerkaroo is also the common name of Pentzia incana, one of many karoobossies (little bushes of the Karoo), both valuable fodder plants.

The species distribution lies in the south of the Western and Eastern Cape from Stellenbosch and Worcester to Port Elizabeth, common in the Little Karoo and what used to be the Transkei; also northwards into the Free State. The species comprises two varieties, H. rosum var. rosum found in the Western and Eastern Cape and H. rosum var. arcuatum in the Eastern Cape and the Free State.

The habitat is dry slopes in various veld types where the plants grow in clay soils. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century, its population stable (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; iSpot; http://redlist.sanbi.org).