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 flava commonly known as Velvet Brandybush, Wild Raisin, Velvet Raisin, Brandybush or Velvetbrandybush in English and Wilderosyntjie or Fluweelrosynjtie in Afrikaans is a South African indigenous multi-stemmed, low growing shrub. It is easily distinguished from other Grewia species by its distinctive greyish green hairy leaves. The underside of the leaves has three prominent veins beginning at the leaf base. Another distinctive feature is that the leaves grow upright or horizontal and do not droop downwards as some other Grewia species do. The Velvet Brandybush is fairly slow growing, frost hardy and drought resistant. It is usually found growing in groups. In the flowering season of October to March, the beautiful sweet-scented star-shaped yellow flowers can be found growing on the angles where the leaves grow on the branches. These in turn make way for the edible berry-like fruit that starts showing from December to April. The berry fruit is reddish brown in colour when ripe and ready to eat, is sweetish in flavour and has fairly high sugar content.