This Othonna parviflora plant growing in dry fynbos on a rocky slope in the Biedouw Valley managed half a dozen sturdy branches early in its life.

The top layer of plant material is the yellow covering of small, flowerheads. The Latin words, parvus meaning small and flora meaning flowers make up the plant’s descriptive adjective, parviflora, its specific name.

An equally thin layer of green leaves is present immediately below the yellow. Then follows the wide, ragged-looking part comprising brown-grey, dead leaves of earlier seasons, for as long as they last (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Manning, 2007).