Starbush

Ant-dependent fynbos plants 15b
Many of these plants are entirely dependent upon myrmecochory [= distribution of their fruits by ants] for fire survival in fynbos.
This lovely little conebush is known to the locals as ‘sterrebos’ [star bush], a truly lovely name for a plant with silvery yellow, star-shaped inflorescences that mimic the shining lights in the huge, star-filled skies of the Cederberg. These come from the Sterrebosbank, the slopes of the huge shale band that encircles Sneeuberg, highest peak in the Cederberg: a magnificent setting for a magnificent plant that is very sadly demoted to ‘Bokkeveld Conebush’ in The Book. It’s very best locality isn’t even in the Bokkeveld. Surely local common names are the most valid ones that there are! The female with its small involucral leaves and pink inflorescence is typical of the sprawling form that occurs on the high, snow-slopes of these mountains. The males, from the same area, are more conventional in form.
Not a resprouter after fire: 100% ant depend-ant. The only ants we could find up there were Anoplolepis steingroeveri.
See www.ants.org.za for more info