An aid to
field identification of some Helichrysum species from the summer
rainfall region of South Africa
Text by
Kate Grieve, photos by Graham Grieve and John Burrows
Introduction
There are about 245 species of Helichrysum
in South Africa, approximately half the world's population of this genus. They are particularly well represented in
KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) and this can lead to some confusion. Here are some of the common species in the
summer rainfall region of South Africa (excluding the high Drakensberg) that
are similar and may be problematic for identification in the field.
This article covers a group of plants with an
inflorescence of several clustered flower heads and with leaves mostly around
the base of an erect, unbranched stem.
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| This photograph shows an inflorescence comprising a cluster of individual flower heads, each one surrounded by papery flower bracts. |
H. acutatum DC.
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| Helichrysum acutatum |
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| Helichrysum acutatum |
Sticky Everlasting (e), Sewejaartjie (a), Taaisewejaartjie (a),
Tontelbossie (a), Uzangume (z)
Flowering stem up to 600 mm tall; plants may
occur singly (particularly inland) but are often found in clumps. Most of the leaves are tufted at the base of
the stem but stem leaves, when present, decrease in size upwards; leaves
greyish, woolly and conspicuously 3-veined from the base. Flower heads oblong,
pointed, in dense clusters in flat-topped inflorescences; bracts sharply
pointed, closely overlapping, shiny, pinkish beige at first becoming lemon
yellow. Flowering time: September to January. Grassland, sea level to 1950
m elevation. Range: Eastern Cape, KZN, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
H. allioides Less.
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| Helichrysum allioides |
Stem up to 650 mm tall. Leaves long (up to 300 mm) and narrow, the bottom half a long and wiry petiole, smooth and dark green above and white beneath, 3-veined. Flower heads cup-shaped, small (4-6 mm diam.), in a compact, flat topped inflorescence; bract tips blunt, yellow (outer bracts sometimes purplish). Flowering time: August to December. Grassland, sea level to 1250 m elevation. Range: Eastern Cape, KZN and Mpumalanga.
H. appendiculatum Less.
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| Helichrysum appendiculatum |
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| Helichrysum appendiculatum |
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| Helichrysum appendiculatum showing recurved bracts |
Flowering stem one or several, up to 500 mm tall.
Leaves mostly at the base of the stem but stem leaves decreasing in size
upwards, both surfaces woolly at first but upper surface becoming smooth with
age. Flower heads cup-shaped, approximately 10 mm diam.,
tightly clustered at first becoming looser later; bracts at first red, brown
or russet becoming yellowish or creamy white, dull, tips pointed, curved
outwards. Flowering time: mainly
December to February. Grassland, sea
level to 2100 m elevation. Range: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KZN, Mpumalanga
and Limpopo.
H. auriceps Hilliard
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| Helichrysum auriceps |
H. cephaloideum DC.
Ibhade (z), Mosuoane-oa-thaba (ss)
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| Helichrysum cephaloideum |
Several flowering stems up to 400 mm tall, all
parts grey-woolly. Leaves on the ground
in a basal rosette but often withered at flowering, a few smaller leaves on the
stem. Flower heads cup-shaped, several in a compact cluster
approximately 30 mm diam.; bracts glossy bright yellow, loosely overlapping.
Flowering time mainly December to March. Grassland, highlands. Range: Eastern
Cape, KZN, Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
Note: The H.
cephaloideum group includes H. longifolium and H. mixtum; a similar
species is H. auriceps.
H. griseum Sond.
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| Helichrysum griseum |
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| Helichrysum griseum |
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| Helichrysum griseum |
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| H. pilosellum and H griseum |
Flowering stem up to 700 mm tall, one or several. Leaves only 3 or 4, ovate (200 x 80 mm), green and harshly hairy above and white-felted beneath, faintly 5–9 veined from the base and net veins visible. Flower heads cup-shaped, in a large inflorescence that is clustered at first but becomes lax and more open; bracts red to pink, sharply pointed, curved outwards. Flowering time: August to October (one of the first to flower after fire). Grassland, up to 1200 m elevation. Range: East London to Umvoti.
H. longifolium DC.
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| Helichrysum longifolium |
Similar to H. cephaloideum but can be a bigger plant and differs in having long lanceolate leaves (up to 250 mm long), smooth above and hairy or felted beneath. Flower heads cup-shaped, in an inflorescence that is initially clustered but becomes open; bracts glossy yellow, acute. Flowering time: November to January. Grassland, mostly coastal. Range: East London in the Eastern Cape to the border of KZN with Mozambique.
H. miconiifolium DC.
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| Helichrysum miconiifolium (Photo J. Burrows) |
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| Helichrysum miconiifolium (Photo J. Burrows) |
Rootstock topped with old leaf fibres, flowering
stem up to 600 mm tall, thinly woolly. Leaves mostly at the bottom of the stem
and decreasing in size upwards; leaf elliptic, narrowing to a thin wiry
petiole, upper surface green and lower white-felted, 3-veined from the base,
margins of stem leaves rolled under. Flower heads cup-shaped, many in a
flat-topped inflorescence; bracts glossy, lemon yellow or light brown. Flowering time: November to February. Grassland from the coast to 2000 m but common
in the mountains. Range: Eastern Cape, KZN, Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and
Limpopo.
H. mixtum (Kuntze) Moeser var. mixtum
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| Helichrysum mixtum |
Similar to H. cephaloideum, this species combines the foliage of H.
cephaloideum with the loose inflorescence and pointed bracts of H.
longifolium. Leaves approximately 100 mm long, elliptic, grey-woolly.
Flower heads cup-shaped, in a fairly loose cluster; bracts sharply pointed,
glossy yellow. Flowering time November to January (March to April in Gauteng).
Grassland. Range: eastern half of Eastern Cape, KZN, Gauteng and Mpumalanga.
Note: H.
nudifolium group: Initially the following three were
separate species but in a recent revision were re-named varieties of H.
nudifolium.
H. nudifolium var. nudifolium (L.) Less.
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| Helichrysum nudifolium var nudifolium |
Robust herb up to 1.5 m tall. Leaves mostly on
the lower part of the stem becoming sparser upwards; leaves large (up to 600 x
130 mm), margin often wavy, green and rough to the touch above and white-woolly
beneath, (3–)5(–7) veins from the base raised beneath linked with conspicuous
net veins. Flower heads small (2.5–3
mm diam.), narrowly cup-shaped, very many in branched clusters
in a flat-topped inflorescence; bracts pale yellow or light brown, tips blunt.
Flowering time: November to March.
Grassland, common. Range: widespread from the Western Cape, Eastern Cape,
North West, Free State, KZN, Gauteng, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
H. nudifolium (L.) Less. var. oxyphyllum (DC.) Beentje
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| Helichrysum nudifolium var oxyphyllum |
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| Helichrysum nudifolium var oxyphyllum |
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| Helichrysum nudifolium var oxyphyllum |
Stem up to 600 mm tall, thinly woolly. Leaves mostly on the lower part of the stem, ovate and up to 350 mm long, margin often wavy, green above and white-felted beneath, 3-(sometimes 5-)veined from the base, net veins not or faintly visible. Flower heads cup-shaped (6–7 mm diam.), many in a compact rounded then flat-topped inflorescence; outer bracts red or dark pink and inner bracts white, tightly overlapping, tips blunt. Flowering time: August to January. Grassland, coastal and uplands. Range: Western Cape, Eastern Cape, KZN and Mpumalanga.
H. nudifolium var. pilosellum (L.f.) Beentje
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| Helichrysum nudifolium var pilosellum |
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| Helichrysum nudifolium var pilosellum |
Flowering stem up to 450 mm tall, woolly. Leaves
usually at the base only, 3 to 4, ovate, harshly hairy above and
white-felted beneath, strongly 5–9-veined from the base with conspicuous
net veins. Flower heads cup-shaped, 6–7 mm diam., many in compact clusters in a flat-topped
inflorescence; outer bracts brown, tips blunt. Flowering time: August to
December. Grassland, from sea level to mountains. Range: Eastern Cape, Free
State, KZN, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
H. pallidum DC.
Stem usually 300 mm tall, occasionally taller,
thinly woolly. Leaves mostly on the
lower part of the stem, broad and narrowing to long flat base, margins often
wavy, upper surface dark green and lower surface white-felted, obviously 5–7-veined
from the base and net veins clearly visible (quilted appearance). Flower
heads upward pointing, bell-shaped, many in a flat-topped branched
inflorescence; bracts cream, closely overlapping. Flowering time: August
to February (appearing soon after fire). Grassland. Range: Eastern Cape, KZN,
Free State, Gauteng, Mpumalanga to Limpopo.
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| Helichrysum pallidum |
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| Helichrysum pallidum |
H. platypterum DC.
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| Helichrysum platypterum |
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| Helichrysum platypterum (Photo: J Burrows) |
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| Helichrysum platypterum (Photo: J.Burrows) |
Robust herb, stem up to 1 m tall, covered in white cottony hairs. Leaves broadly lanceolate, large, (250 x 80 mm), harshly hairy, conspicuously 3-veined from the base (sometimes 5-veined in broader leaves); stem leaves decurrent on stem in long wings. Flower heads, many clustered on spreading branches (like a candelabra) in a large flat-topped inflorescence; bracts silvery white sometimes tinged with pale brown. Flowering time: February to April. Grassland, montane. Range: Eastern Cape, KZN, Mpumalanga and Limpopo.
Reference
Hilliard, O.M. (1983) Flora of Southern Africa
Volume 33 Asteraceae Part 7 Inuleae Fascicle 2 Gnaphaliinae (First part)
Pretoria, Botanical Research Institute.
About the author:
Kate Grieve is a member of Pondoland CREW and Honorary Curator of the
High Nicholson - Tony Abbott Herbarium (PCE) at the Umtamvuna Nature
Reserve. Her passion for indigenous plants is also expressed in
botanical art.
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