The use and potential commercial development of Athrixia phylicoides

Athrixia phylicoides (Asteraceae) is a plant indigenous to the north-eastern mountain ranges of South Africa. It has been harvested for generations by rural communities for use as a tea and a medicine as well as to make brooms. Due to the popularity of these products, signs of over-exploitation of the plant have recently been noted. Commercial production of A phylicoides may be considered as a means of alleviating this pressure on the plant’s natural population and its habitat, provided that there is sufficient demand for the plant and its products. This article reports on two surveys conducted to determine the present use of the plant and to assess the demand for its products.