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Hairyleaf Sceptre (Geen bekende naam) - Paranomus tomentosus
The Sceptres can be identified by their divided leaves and their flowerheads containing smaller flowerheads each of 4 flowers. The Hairyleaf Sceptre is distinguished by its dense hairs on the leaves, which protect it from frost, and the short final-segment on the divided leaves. The Hairyleaf Sceptre grows in rocky areas from 1000-1600m only in the Cederberg Mountains. It is the largest of all the Sceptres, growing to 3m tall, with a stout basal trunk. Flowering is just after the snows melt, from September to November, in time to release the seeds for dispersal and burying by ants. The fruit only germinate after a fire. This is a species, like the Clanwilliam Ceder, that appears not to like fires. The plants grow slowly and are easily eliminated by too-frequent fires. However, unless they burn, the plants become moribund after 50 years and die. Fire is thus essential for this species as well. Also present in the Citrusdal area are two other Sceptres, the Hairless Sceptre Pa bracteolaris and Rabbitpaw Sceptre Pa lagopus. The former (with styles longer than 13mm) occurs north of Middelberg Pass and the latter (styles less than 12mm) to the south, but intermediates occur in the Northern KoueBokkeveld. Both have hairless mature leaves (young leaves are hairy).
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