Leucospermum oleifolium (Overberg Pincushion) has a restricted range occuring from the Slanghoek Mountains to the mountains above Rooiels, Hangklip and Betty's Bay. You will find them near the Palmiet river and up into the Kogelberg Nature Reserve.

There is a continuing decline in the Riviersonderend, Caledon, Franshoek and Helderberg Mountains due to the spreading invasive pines.

Not so in Rooiels. Hikers have photographed them amongst the rocks from 50 m from the high tide line; on Klein-Hangklip; along the smallholding track and high up on the plateau in the Rooiels Mountains.

Cape sugarbirds (Promerops cafer) and several species of sunbirds, such as orange-breasted sunbirds, double-coloured sugarbirds, and malachite birds, pollinate the Overberg Pincushion.

Various insects are drawn to the nectar, in this way providing extra food on the menu for the birds.

The nectar attracts various insects, thus providing extra food on the menu for the birds.

The flower heads of the Overberg Pincushion are small, not more than 4 cm. They start as yellow buds and open into orange pincushions. The colour gradually turns to red, resulting in pincushions of yellow, orange and red in the same cluster.

Ants collect and take the large seeds produced by each flower head underground. The young ants nibble the outer covering and leave the hard seeds, where they remain.

A fynbos fire would destroy most of the plants, but like so many fynbos plants, they resprout again.

The seeds that had been cast away underground by the ants, germinate after the first rain. The ash provides nutrients to the soil and soon new plants appear.

This is what happened in Rooiels. Previously there were only a few scattered plants on Klein-Hangklip and a few above the Distillery. We notice with excitement that these and other subpopulations in the mountains between Gordon's Bay and Betty's Bay have become dense and extensive.

The species name oleifolium means olive-leaf, referring to the shape of the leaf. Status: vulnerable.

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