Scallop Fire-Aster

Mairia crenata is a geophytic perennial herb of variable height and hairiness. It is mostly 2–15 cm (1–6 in) high, but at low altitude and particularly towards the east it may sometimes reach 40 cm (16 in). It has a woody rizome of up to 5 cm (2 in) long, from which bright to dark brown, thick and fleshy roots appear, and one to three leaf rosettes. The five to seventeen hard leathery leaves may be somewhat succulent, are narrowed into a leaf stalk of 1⁄2–2 cm (0.2–0.8 in) long or less narrowed and have a distinct midvein. The axils of the leaves are often woolly. Mostly under an initial covering of some woolly hairs the surface of the leaf blade is shiny, ellipse-shaped, inverted oval, spoon-shaped, or almost circular, 2–4+1⁄2 cm (0.8–1.8 in) long and 1⁄2–2+1⁄2 cm (0.2–1.0 in) wide. The leaf tip may both be pointy or blunt. The leaf margin is flat or slightly curves down, and has evenly distributed rounded teeth with blackish red tips, rarely it is almost entire.

Inflorescences. From each leaf rosette, one, or sometimes up to four, brown to dark red, robust inflorescence stalks rise up to 1+1⁄2–15 cm (0.6–6 in) sometimes up to 40 cm (16 in), mostly initially covered with white or rusty woolly hairs, broadening close to the flower heads. …

M. crenata has the largest distribution of any species of Mairia. It has an isolated population on Table Mountain. From Du Toitskloof Pass and the Hottentots Holland Mountains in the west, it can be found along the length of the Riviersonderend Mountains, the Langeberg, the Outeniqua Mountains and Tsitsikamma Mountains all the way to the Kouga Mountains on the eastern end. It grows in fynbos vegetations on sandstone slopes.