Ruttyruspolia 'Phyllis van Heerden' is a natural intergeneric hybrid between the species of Ruttya ovata (white flowers with red dots similar to those of Ruttyruspolia 'Phyllis van Heerden') and Ruspolia hypocrateriformis var. australis (scarlet flowers).

The plant was first seen in nature in Limpopo, but both parent species grow in the northeast of south Africa to Zimbabwe and further in tropical Africa. The habitat is temperate scrub or woodland, often in kloofs, areas with good rainfall.

Being a hybrid, there is usually no fruit or seed. Both parent plants are regarded as not threatened in habitat early in the twenty first century (www.plantzafrica.com; www.smgrowers.com; http://redlist.sanbi.org).