Erica strigilifolia, a mountain-top species

Fynbos often displays subtle differences in vegetation texture, colours and plant mix or species domination, peculiar to areas within the Cape Floristic Region.

Altitude, the direction and steepness of a slope or the nature of the soil affect how wind, rain, sun and mist play their roles in lushness or favouring certain plant prevalence over others, defining the characteristics of every particular microecology.

Long, meandering walks reveal some of these subtle nuances of veld character. Some look and feel experiences are (approximately) repeated often, others rarely or never, meriting return visits… if one can only find it!

Erica strigilifolia, the scraper heath flowering pink here amidst a plethora of restios and some broad-leaf proteas, complete the trilogy of the generic fynbos plant mix, its defining feature. The particular spot is toned by the inimitable selection of representatives of erica, restio and protea and other plants, unique in space and even time (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Moriarty, 1997; Baker and Oliver, 1967; iNaturalist).