Hermannia althaeifolia

Hermannia althaeifolia, the woolly doll’s rose, is in Afrikaans known as pokkiesblom (pox flower); a name shared with some other Hermannia species. There is also bokkiesblom (little antelopes’ flower) name around in the vernacular, thought to be a corruption of pokkiesblom, the connotation superior in charm.

The plant is a pale, soft-haired shrublet that reaches heights around 50 cm. Yellow untwisted bell-shaped flowers with thick, hairy calyces are produced late in winter to midspring.

The distribution is in the west of the Northern Cape to the Cape Peninsula in the Western Cape and eastwards to the west of the Eastern Cape as far as Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth).

The habitat is stony lower slopes and flats in both clay and loam soils. It may be abundant after fires or on disturbed ground. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century  (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Manning, 2009; iSpot; http://redlist.sanbi.org).