The large flowering plant genus Grewia is today placed by most authors in the mallow family Malvaceae. Formerly, Grewia was placed in either the family Tiliaceae or the Sparrmanniaceae. The genus was named by Carl Linnaeus, in honour of the botanist Nehemiah Grew (1641-1712) from England. Grew was one of the leading plant anatomists and microscope researchers of his time, and his study of pollen laid the groundwork for modern-day palynology.

Grewia bicolor, the bicoloured-leaved Grewia has beautiful, bright yellow flowers. It is a frost-resistant, hardy shrub or small tree that is adaptable to all soils, from clay to sand, and does not require much water. Grewia bicolor, synonymously known as Grewia disticha, Grewia kwebensis, Grewia miniata or Grewia mossambicensis and commonly known as Bastard Brandybush, Bastard Raisin Bush, False Brandybush or Two-colour Grewia in English and Basterrosyntjiebos in Afrikaans is a South African indigenous multi-stemmed shrub or small tree, up to 9 m high. Its bark is smooth, grey, becoming dark grey and deeply fissured and peeling away in straps with age. The young branchlets are velvety grey or brown. The leaves are alternate, simple and elliptic to slightly ovate. The fruits are round and fleshy drupes (fruits such as plums), reddish brown or orange and black when ripe, entire or deeply 2- lobed, up to 6 mm in diameter. The bark of this Grewia is used for fibre, the wood for axe handles and sticks. The leaves are browsed by game and livestock. The fruit is edible, sweetish but astringent. The roots are also used medicinally to treat chest complaints. Grewia bicolor is a most variable species, probably because it freely hybridises with Grewia monticola to produce a fertile hybrid under the name Grewia subspathulata. These trees grow best in temperate climates with summer rainfall. They do not require much water and are frost-hardy. Grewia bicolor forms a distinct shrub layer below the tree canopy.