Phaenocoma prolifera

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Phaenocoma prolifera (L.) D.Don

Family: Asteraceae

Common names: pink everlasting, pink strawflower, Cape everlasting (Eng.); rooisewejaartjie, strooiblommetjie (Afr.)

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Introduction

I often think of this species as the dinosaur of the everlastings. It is a strong rigid shrub with brilliant pink bracts and large flower heads. It is common in the fynbos on mountain slopes in the Western Cape and can easily be spotted from a distance.

Phaenocoma prolifera

Description

Plants are rigid, erect, single-stemmed woody shrubs up to 1.2 m tall. Main stems are up to 60 mm diameter. Branches are densely leafy and also have numerous short leafy stalks at right angles to the main branches. Main branches decrease in length from the base upwards so that many plants resemble miniature Christmas trees.

In flower

Leaves are very small, knob-like. Flower heads, borne terminal on branches, are up to 60 mm in diameter and contain 800 to 1000 individual flowers with very showy bright pink, papery bracts. The bracts fade to almost white and become worn with age. Pappus is present and up to 150 pappus bristles per flower have been counted. For more details about the structure of these flowers see Asteraceae. Flowers are borne from spring to midsummer (September to January).

Conservation Status

Status

Least Concern (LC).

Distribution and habitat

Distribution description

Distributed in the Western Cape, from Ceres to the Cape Peninsula to Robinson Pass, on mountain slopes and in valleys, mostly on sandy soil and at altitudes ranging from sea level to 1 500 m.

Derivation of name and historical aspects

History

The name Phaenocoma is derived from the Greek phaino: to shine, and coma: hair. This refers to the shiny bracts which look like a 'shiny hairdo'. Jackson (1990) commented on the lack of hair on the bracts but did not offer an alternative explanation.

Phaenocoma is a monotypic genus (only one species) restricted to the Western Cape.

Ecology

Monkey beetles are often found on the flower heads and can contribute to pollination although they probably often only feed on the pollen.

Uses

Use

Nothing is known about this aspect.

Growing Phaenocoma prolifera

Grow

The plant has potential as a garden plant or pot plant, but is not often cultivated.

Although the seeds germinate well I am not aware of plants raised from seed. Seed germination is slow but generally good. In trials done by myself a 100% germination was achieved after 12 days.

References

Goldblatt, P. & Manning, J. 2002. Cape plants: a conspectus of the Cape flora of South Africa. Strelitzia 9. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria and Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis.
Jackson, W.P.U. 1990. Origins and meanings of names of South African plant genera. University of Cape Town.
Koekemoer, M. 2002. Systematics of the Relhaniina (Asteraceae - Gnaphalieae).Unpublished PhD thesis (RAU).

Credits

Marinda Koekemoer
National Herbarium Pretoria
September 2004

Plant Attributes:

Plant Type: Shrub

SA Distribution: Western Cape

Soil type: Sandy

Flowering season: Spring, Early Summer

PH: Acid

Flower colour: Pink

Aspect: Full Sun

Gardening skill: Challenging

Special Features:

Drought resistant

Phaenocoma prolifera