Brunia noduliflora
Brunia noduliflora, commonly called the cone stompie in English or in Afrikaans, is an evergreen shrub native to South Africa. Description Brunia noduliflora has a woody rootstock from which many stems sprout. Their ericoid leaves are stalkless and resemble triangular or lance-shaped overlapping scales. Their spherical, cream inflorescences have long stamens, giving them a "fluffy" appearance. These flowers are short-lived, but their globose grey-brown seedheads are more persistent. Range Brunia noduliflora is endemic to the southern and southwestern Cape of Africa. It is common from the Olifants River Mountains to Piketberg, the Cape Peninsula, Jonkershoek, Hottentots Holland Mountains, and the Kogelberg through to the Hermanus and Elim. It can also be found around the Van Stadens Mountains and around Uitenhage. Habitat This shrub is found on hills and rocky sandstone slopes. Ecology Brunia noduliflora is endemic to fynbos grassland where periodic fires are common. A fire-adapted plant, it has two strategies for surviving fires - reseeding and resprouting. Its underground woody rootstock, or lignotuber, resprouts the following year during autumn, while seeds retained in its seedheads are dispersed after being released by burning. Etymology The generic name Brunia may honor either Cornelius Brun, an apothecary and contemporary of Linnaeus, or