Berkheya bipinnatifida subsp. bipinnatifida (Harv.) Roessler

A coarse perennial herb up to c. 3 m tall, stems sparingly branched, branches erect, lightly cobwebby at first, glabrescent, glandular-pubescent, leafy. Leaves up to 30 x 18 cm, becoming smaller upwards and passing into inflorescence bracts, more or less oblong in outline, pinnatifid or less deeply cut, or bipinnatifid particularly in Cape material, the lobes oblong or lanceolate, few-toothed or sometimes more deeply cut, teeth and lobes spine-tipped, margins often spinose-denticulate, base tapering to a narrowly winged petiole, the larger stem leaves with a pair of spiny, clasping auricles, uppermost leaves or bracts subtending the inflorescence branches lanceolate, apex acuminate, base tapered to a narrow petiole, margins often with only 1 or 2 spinose lobes in the lower half, all with upper surface at length green, harshly pubescent, lower white-felted. Heads discoid, up to c. 2 cm across the flattened involucre, many paniculately arranged. Involucral bracts lanceolate, up to c. 2 mm broad, margins with 2-4 stout spines in lower half or two thirds, sometimes very minor spines or stout bristles on upper margins of inner bracts, backs thinly cobwebby, or glabrous, sometimes glandular as well. Flowers white, anthers bluish. Achenes c. 2.5 mm long, turbinate, reddish brown with paler ribs, thinly hairy, viscid. Pappus scales 0.25-0.5(-0.75) mm long, oblong, truncate or obtuse, denticulate.