Erica multumbellifera

[= Erica ramentacea]

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Order: Ericales > Family: Ericaceae > Genus: Erica

Erica multumbellifera in Kleinmond Nature Reserve, on the flats near Palmiet River mouth (South Africa: Western Cape). The bottom image shows the yellow-flowering Erica patersonii with Erica multumbellifera growing in profusion round it.

Widespread in the Western Cape , occurring from Tulbagh round to Riversdale. Occurs on moist sandy slopes and flats, usually as a carpet of mauve-pink, low growing (up to 40 cm high) shrubs. Individual bead-like flowers are about 4 mm long and slightly sticky. 

Derivation of name

Named by the eminent Swedish botanist, Peter Jonas Bergius in 1767. 

multus (latin) = many

umbella (latin) = umbel

ferus (latin) = bearing