Phaenocoma prolifera

The Cape everlasting or false everlasting and in Afrikaans the rooisewejaartjie (red everlasting or red little seven year) as Phaenocoma prolifera is commonly known, is an erect, woolly-stemmed shrublet reaching 60 cm in height. The single-stemmed plant reseeds after fire, does not resprout as do the shrubs that grow several stems from ground level from a thick rootstock. This species is the only one in its genus.

Solitary, stem-tip flowerheads surrounded by several rows of multicoloured, glossy pink, red or partly whitish pointed bracts are produced. Flowerhead diameter is about 2,5 cm. Blooming happens from spring to autumn. 

The species distribution is in the south of the Western Cape, from the Cape Peninsula along the mountain ranges northwards to Ceres and eastwards to Ladismith and the Outeniqua Mountains.

The habitat is coastal and montane fynbos slopes in sandstone. The habitat population is deemed of least concern early in the twenty first century (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).