Kingdom: Plantae
unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Rosids
Order: Sapindales
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Coleonema
Species: C. album
Binominal name: Coleonema album
Synonyms: Diosma rubra, Diosma juniperina, Diosma alba
Common names: White breath of heaven, Breath of Heaven, Cape May, White confetti bush, White Diosma
Coleonema album is a coastal plant, native to the Western Cape Province of South Africa. It is an erect, much-branched, evergreen, compact, aromatic shrub that grows to a height of about 2 m. Branching occurs from the base of the shrub and new shoots develop at the tips of old branches.
The sweet-scented aromatic leaves are needle-like to linear-oblong, 12-13.5 mm long and 1.3-1.5 mm broad. Aromatic oil glands are visible on the reverse side of the leaves.
During July, August, September and October at the branch tips Coleonema album produces masses of small white, 6-7 mm diameter flowers that have a dark green disc at the centre.
The fruit is 5-lobed and the ripe seeds are ejected by a catapult mechanism. Regeneration takes place from seed.
The new shoots developing at the tips of old branches.
The small white, 6-7 mm diameter flowers
The needle-like aromatic leaves.
The aromatic oil glands are visable on the underside of the leaves.
The fine branches.of this shrub.
Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
