Caputia tomentosa

Caputia tomentosa, known as the woolly senecio and the matted caputia, is a perennial, succulent dwarf shrub of the Caputia genus that grows in the Cape Provinces of South Africa, usually between the altitudes of 900 and 1200 meters.[3] It has been introduced to Myanmar.[2] It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit as an ornamental.[4]

Caputia tomentosa
woolly senecio
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Clade: Asterids
Order: Asterales
Family: Asteraceae
Genus: Caputia
Species:
C. tomentosa
Binomial name
Caputia tomentosa
Synonyms[2]

History

Its first description was written by Adrian Hardy Haworth, in Miscellanea naturalia, 1803, p. 189, with the name of Cacalia tomentosa. Haworth stated that he had received the plant, introduced eight years before, from the Stockwell Botanical Garden of his friend Benjamin Robertson.[5]

Description

Growing up to 10-25 cm high, its leaves are remarkably densely felted, so much so that the felt can be stripped off, dried, and used as tinder. The plant is accordingly called "tontelbos" in Afrikaans. The word means "tinder bush". Though its flowers are nothing special to look at, the plant is striking, easily grown, and fairly attractive; a plucked stem, or even a leaf, can be stuck into warm, not-too-dry earth, where it will strike root without special attention. Like most Richtersveld plants it does not do well in wet soil, but is not in general a demanding garden subject.[6]

  • In its habitat, Richtersveld, South Africa
  • Leaves, showing dense, tight, felted surface

Culture

Like in nature, Senecio haworthii needs well-drained sandy loams, rare water and full sun.

References
  1. Compositae Newslett. 50: 65 (2012)
  2. "Caputia tomentosa H.P.Linder". Plants of the World Online. Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2017. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  3. "Senecio haworthii (Sweet) Sch.Bip. record n° 98154". African Plants Database. South African National Biodiversity Institute, the Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de la Ville de Genève and Tela Botanica. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
  4. "Caputia tomentosa matted caputia". The Royal Horticultural Society. Retrieved 30 November 2020.
  5. Senecio haworthii - SANBI article
  6. Senecio haworthii - Succulent Encyclopedia

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