a mammal (rodent), although it may also be pollinated by birds. The seeds are retained in the persistent, dry-fruited, fire-resistant inflorescences for a few years, and are released after fires. The seeds are eventually dispersed by means of the wind. The habitat in which it can be found is typically on the summits of mountains in a substrate of Cederberg shale, and here it appears to prefer growing in deeper soils. It is also often found growing in sandstone regions. It often occurs in dense stands. It grows at altitudes of , although most records are from some . Conservation Although it was considered 'not threatened' in the past (following Hilton-Taylor (1996)), and dense stands exist, the South African National Biodiversity Institute classed it as 'vulnerable' in 2019. There are no severe threats. It can be considered well-conserved: as of 2008, 96% of the population is protected in nature reserves, for example in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve in the Western Cape. References caespitosa Flora of South Africa Taxa named by Henry Cranke Andrews