Plumbago tristis

Plumbago tristis, commonly the Karoo-plumbago, is a much-branched, glandular shrublet that reaches about 30 cm in height.

The species distribution is mainly in the Little Karoo from Montagu to Oudtshoorn but also north of the Swartberg Mountains in the Great Karoo around Prince Albert. The photo was taken near Vanwyksdorp.

The habitat is arid slopes in karoid scrub where the soil is clayey. The species is not considered threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century.

The plants are palatable, often heavily browsed (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://redlist.sanbi.org).