About Metalasia octoflora DC.
Metalasia octoflora, commonly known as Swartland blombos, is a flowering shrub in the Asteraceae family. This species is endemic to South Africa, where it grows in the Western Cape, ranging from Malmesbury to Durbanville, Paarl, and Wolseley. Its distribution covers an area between 1,583 and 1,828 km², and it grows as part of the fynbos biome. The species originally had eight to ten populations, which are now severely fragmented. Suburban development and crop cultivation have already occupied over 90% of this species' original habitat. The remaining populations face ongoing threats from invasive plant species, overgrazing, and poor fire management.
