ID and browning of stem and leaves

turmeric

Hello all, can anyone identify this little plant and tell me why some patches are turning brown.  The whole plant is about 6in high and wide, hasn't dried out and is in a pot.  I'm not sure what it is so am struggling to look up reasons for the brown patches appearing.  They seem to be brown all the way to the base but not all over the plant, just in patches. I'm thinking fungal? Many thanks.

turmeric

It would help if I attached a picture

hogweed

Is it a type of heather?

turmeric

No, it's more like a tiny hebe or conifer. The stems are quite stiff and it's never flowered.

Fairygirl

Hebe. They do get brown areas internally. Potted plants as small as that may have suffered more than usual with drying winds and generally dry conditions. 

Have you a photo of the whole plant? 

turmeric

No, sorry fairygirl.  I'll try watering and feeding.  I saw a small conifer type plant by a pond recently.  It was about 2ft high and wide and looked healthy apart from a circle on the side about 6in diameter that had gone completely brown.  What has happened to this little unknown plant reminded me of the conifer and I wondered if these sorts of plants (short, spiky, needle like leaves) can suffer some sort of dieback?

Fairygirl

Could be a visiting animal, marking it's territory. They can do a lot of damage. 

Hebes don't really suffer dieback in my experience. Conifers can get problems though.

If you have it in a pot, take it out and check there's nothing eating them. If it looks ok, I'd give it a good soak (if it's really dry) and repot in some fresh soil/compost and keep it sheltered for a little while to see if it recovers. Nothing to lose  

turmeric

Thanks Fairygirl, will do