Fauna
Plant · GBIF taxon 5524906

Yellow Lipstick

Endonema lateriflora

Endonema lateriflora is an erect, heather-like fynbos shrub renowned for its striking axillary flowers with bright yellow tubular perianths and contrasting reddish bracts. Native to nutrient-poor mountain slopes of South Africa's Cape Floristic Region, it thrives in sandy, quartzite soils shaped by recurrent wildfire cycles. Adults depend on specialized insect or avian pollinators to navigate their rigid, tubular blooms before regenerating from seed following brush fires.

FynbosFloweringEndemic
Yellow Lipstick reference1 / 7
Licensed referenceno rights reserved, uploaded by Klaus Wehrlin · cc0
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Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Autotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
  • Chacma Baboon
  • Herbivorous insects
ThreatsInvasive alien plants, altered fire regimes, localized habitat destruction
HabitatsMontane fynbos, rocky sandstone slopes
Life span10–25 years
Classification
  1. FamilyPenaeaceae
  2. SpeciesEndonema lateriflora
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Harmless plant, safe to observe and photograph at a normal distance.
What to notice
Look for an erect, small-leaved woody shrub bearing vibrant tubular yellow flowers clustered along the upper leaf axils.
Support conservation
Do not pick wild blooms or disturb surrounding fragile fynbos vegetation; view and photograph from established paths.
Responsible observation
  • Observation: Stay on marked trails to avoid trampling sensitive montane fynbos ground cover.
  • Photography: Use macro lenses to highlight the glossy, vivid tube-like floral bracts without disturbing the branches.
Related species
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