RUBIACEAE

Pyrostria hystrix

Porcupine Bush

Trees & Shrubs

Local Context

Occurs in the estate along drainage lines. It is native to KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, Eswatini and Mozambique.

Identification

Growth: Shrub or small tree (up to 2.5–4 m tall) with side branches that are often short, rigid, and spine-like; the bark is light to dark grey.
Flowers: Yellowish or cream-colored, very small (the tube is about 1.5 mm long), and arranged in small clusters of 1 to 3 flowers on short stalks; male and female flowers grow separately.
Leaves: Narrowly egg-shaped or oval (0.8–4.5 cm long), often appearing grey-green when dry, with a rounded or blunt tip.
Texture: Leaves are hairless, papery, and dull on top; the plant itself is generally a rigid and spiny shrub.
Fruit: Small, broad fruit (5–7 mm long) that is slightly divided into two lobes (indented at the top) and contains slightly wrinkled stones.

Did You Know?

The Porcupine Bush got its name because of its unusually prickly appearance, which is unique among its close relatives. Its scientific name, Pyrostria hystrix, uses the Greek word for porcupine (hystrix), a theme mirrored in its Afrikaans name, ystervarkbos. This nickname refers to the plant’s lateral branches that grow at right angles and end in sharp, spine-like shoots. These rigid, quilled projections give the shrub a defensive, "spiny" silhouette that closely resembles the quills of a porcupine.

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