Few plants in this family illustrate the messiness of botanical naming as clearly as this one. Depending on which reference you consult, the trailing groundcover known commonly as "Pink Lady," "Spanish shawl," or "rockrose" is classified as either Heterotis rotundifolia or Dissotis rotundifolia — genuinely the same plant, carrying two different accepted scientific names in active, current use.
How this happens
This kind of overlap usually traces back to different botanists, working at different times or with different evidence, concluding that a species belongs in slightly different genus boundaries. Neither name is simply "wrong" — both reflect a real, defensible taxonomic position, and which one you'll encounter often just depends on which regional flora or database you're reading.
What the plant actually looks like
Regardless of which name is attached, the plant itself is a low, trailing groundcover native to tropical Africa, spreading readily via rooting stems and producing bright pink, five-petaled flowers in loose succession through the warmer months. It's widely used as a fast-establishing ground cover in warm climates, valued for exactly the reason its common names suggest — reliable color with very little maintenance.
When two names point to the same plant, it's not a sign that botany got something wrong — it's a sign that classification is an ongoing, evidence-based process, not a fixed catalogue.
Growing conditions
Full sun to light shade, regular moisture, and well-draining soil suit this plant well. It tolerates being cut back hard and regrows quickly, making it a forgiving choice for a groundcover role.
For more on how and why plants end up with more than one valid name, see our guide to reading a botanical name.