Thesium euphorbioides conducting fynbos music

Thesium euphorbioides grows a few long branches, angular and willowy, often seen swinging freely above the fynbos. Near the tips further branching is common, allowing the itinerant winds increased purchase. Don’t try photographing them on windy days. The wind that blows here in sunshine, the southeaster, inspires wand-like branches to vigorous movement. 

The sandstone slopes of the Western and Eastern Cape along which T. euphorbioides is naturally distributed are known for their windy spells. The plants grow from Tulbagh, Stellenbosch and Hermanus in the west to Uitenhage in the east.

Note the old leaves changing colour to pale beige before they fall, not too different from the yellow floral bracts at the top (Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010).