Helichrysum splendidum

Helichrysum splendidum or in popular "Sun-flower" is a colonial, hardy, evergreen plant found in Africa and Yemen  and occurring from the Southern Cape to Ethiopia along the eastern escarpment mountains, favouring rocky places in fynbos, grassland and savanna biomes. It forms mound-shaped aggregations 1–2 meters high, sometimes covering entire hillsides. The species is found in South Africa, Swaziland, Lesotho, Tanzania, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Yemen. The distribution of this species is clearly anthropogenic, that is, closely linked to the movements of Man through the ages.

Leaves 10–30 (–40) x 1–2 (–6) mm, linear, linear-oblong or linear-lanceolate, revolute margin, and apex mucronate. Leaves have a blue-grey colour and are softly woolly on the under surface, as are the young stems. The upper surface is markedly parallel-veined and grooved, the veins protruding on the under side.

Helichrysums are a rich source of traditional medicines in South Africa. This species has pleasantly aromatic leaves from which an essential oil used in aromatherapy can be derived.  The oil's main components are β-pinene, β-phellandrene, δ-cadinene, germacrene D, and 1,8-cineole.

References

External links
 Phylogenetic incongruence in Helichrysum

Category:Helichrysum