Plant story
Erica margaritacea
(Photo: A. Hitchcock)
Erica margaritacea was once found on the sandy Cape Flats from the
Cape Peninsula to Stellenbosch. Farming and urban development have
reduced the natural range of this species to a small area within the
Kenilworth Race Course in Cape Town. It is therefore categorised as Endangered.
The specific name ‘margaritacea’ is derived from the Latin
meaning ‘pearl’ and refers to its lovely pearl-like flowers.
Erica margaritacea forms an erect shrub to about 50cm tall. It has fine slender branches and small lime-green leaves. Small pearly-white or pink, urn or cup-shaped flowers are borne in clusters near the ends of the branches. Flowering occurs from October to March.
Seed was collected in February 2004 and has been processed by the Cape Section of the Millennium Seed Bank Project in South Africa. Some of the seed will be lodged with the MSB and some will be used as part of a new conservation initiative involving restoration of disturbed areas at Kenilworth Race Course and Rondevlei Nature Reserve, both on the outskirts of Cape Town..
Ex situ collections are also housed and displayed at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens.
Story by Paul Smith