On Matroosberg in the Hex River Mountains, he discovered a new species of "everlasting", flowers that in those days were generally included in the genus Helichrysum.
Helichrysum species are used as food plants by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the bucculaticid leaf-miners Bucculatrix gnaphaliella (which feeds exclusively on Helichrysum arenarium) and Bucculatrix helichrysella (feeds exclusively on H. italicum) and the Coleophora case-bearers C. caelebipennella, C. gnaphalii (feeds exclusively on H arenarium) and C. helichrysiella (feeds exclusively on H. italicum).
The species name is derived from the rosette bearing Asteraceae Helichrysum, which serves as a retreat for night active spiders.
Helichrysum | Sprig of “Gnaphalium arenarium” (=''Helichrysum arenarium | Helichrysum rosulatum | Helichrysum arenarium |
The genus Ecklonia, including Ecklon's kelp (Ecklonia biruncinata or E. radiata), as well as Ecklon's Purple Iceplant (Delosperma ecklonis 'Bright Eyes') and Ecklon's Everlasting (Helichrysum ecklonis) were named in his honour.
The larvae feed on a wide range of plants, including Artemisia campestris, Matricaria, Aster, Anthemis, Solidago, Chrysanthemum, Alchemilla, Helichrysum and Tanacetum species.
The larvae feed on various plants (cudweed, everlasting, pussytoes) formerly placed in the Gnaphalium genus, including Pseudognaphalium obtusifolium, Pseudognaphalium helleri, and Helichrysum species.