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Lanaria lanata, or Cape edelweiss, is the only species in its genus and family, a woolly-headed fynbos plant from the southern coast of South Africa. It flowers profusely after fires and needs full sun and free-draining soil.
Lanaria is a monotypic genus of flowering plants containing a single species, Lanaria lanata, endemic to the southern coast of South Africa where it is associated with the fynbos belt. Lanaria lanata is commonly known as Cape edelweiss or lambtails. The genus is placed in the monotypic family Lanariaceae, a family only recently recognized by taxonomists. The APG IV system of 2016 (unchanged from the 1998, the 2003 and 2009 versions) does recognize this family.
This species occurs on clay and sandstone soils throughout its distribution range. The stiff, ribbed leaves arise from a woody rootstock and are evergreen, channelled, and finely serrate along the margins. The densely woolly, white heads enclose mauve flowers and are peculiar to the species. Flowering is profuse following fires.
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Lanaria by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
