Serruria aitonii

Serruria aitonii, commonly known as the marshmallow spiderhead and previously as S. argentifolia, is an erect to rounded shrublet reaching 1 m in height. Growing from a single stem, it does not sprout after fire, but reseeds.

The species distribution is in the west of the Western Cape, in the Cederberg, the Cold Bokkeveld Mountains and the Piketberg Mountain where the photo was taken.

The habitat is rocky fynbos slopes on sandstone. The plants grow in nature at elevations from 900 m to 1600 m. Dense stands may be encountered in the veld. The species is not considered to be threatened in its habitat early in the twenty first century (Manning, 2007; Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://proteaatlas.org.za; http://redlist.sanbi.org).