Lobostemon fruticosus, also known as the eightday healthbush or pyjamabush, is a species of medicinal plant endemic to the Cape Provinces of South Africa.

[4] The lower stems are woody while the younger branches towards the tips are soft and are red in colour.

[3] The bell-shaped flowers range from pink to blue in colour and are borne in compound cymes.

[3][4] The colour is variable, but typically the inside and back are pink, washing into blue tips.

[2][3] It is common in Renosterveld due to its preference for shale-derived soils, but agricultural activities have largely confined the species to road verges.

[2] This species is important in traditional medicine and was used by the KhoiKhoi, the settlers and the Malay people for a variety of conditions.

They have been shown to be effective against several pathogens, including Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella typhi.

The fresh leaves and branch tips were, for example, used with Psoralea decumbens and Hermannia hyssopifolia to make an ointment to treat erysipelas.

It was also mixed with Melianthus comosus and Galenia africana to form a watery lotion which was used to treat syphilis.

Not only are plants removed, but natural regeneration was found to be lower due to the overexploitation of the leaves affecting the root system before flowering and poor seed germination.

Although the wild populations of this species seem to be declining, it remains a popular garden plant.