Leucospermum prostratum

Leucospermum prostratum, the creeping pincushion or yellow trailing pincushion, is a mat-forming shrub that grows many stems that do not branch. A bush may become 4 m wide. The stems emerge from a sturdy underground rootstock that allows the plant to resprout after fire.

Stem-tip clusters of up to three brightly yellow flowerheads, sweetly fragrant and spherical, appear from midwinter to early summer. A flowerhead is up to 2,5 cm in diameter, ageing to an orange colour.

The species distribution in the southwest of the Western Cape ranges from Rooiels and Caledon to the Elim Flats near Bredasdorp.

The habitat is sandy coastal fynbos flats. The species is considered vulnerable in habitat early in the twenty first century from considerable habitat loss expected to continue (Privett and Lutzeyer, 2010; Bean and Johns, 2005; www.plantzafrica.com; www.redlist.sanbi.org).