This Phylica imberbis var. eriophoros shrub was found in the Silvermine Nature Reserve flowering at the end of March. The distribution of P. imberbis lies in the south-west of the Western Cape from the Bokkeveld as far as the Swartberge and Knysna in the Eastern Cape; var. eriophoros more restricted in the Western Cape. The other two varieties of this species are var. imberbis and var. secunda. The habitat is fynbos slopes and flats on sandstone. The population is stable early in the twenty first century.

The plant grows erect branches to heights around 50 cm. Upper branches are pale yellow to cream coloured. The leaves are ascending and linear, yellow green to pale green and hairy. Leaf surfaces are smooth, except at the margins that are also rolled under (Privett and Lutzeyer, 2010; Moriarty, 1997).