Suffrutex up to c. 600 mm tall, but often much shorter (well grazed), developing a stout woody caudex up to at least 20 mm in diam., well branched, branching lax or congested, branches often erect, sometimes decumbent or ascending, terete to very weakly ribbed, glandular-puberulous, hairs normally up to c. 0.1 mm long, exceptionally 0.2 mm (see discussion), very leafy at least on upper parts, brachyblasts present. Leaves opposite, very rarely alternate towards the tips of the twigs, largest primary leaves 3.5-25 x 0.6-4.5 mm, linear to narrowly elliptic, apex obtuse, base slightly narrowed then abruptly expanded and clasping, sometimes connate, often decurrent to produce barely discernible ridges, margins strongly to weakly revolute, both surfaces glandular-puberulous as stems. Flowers solitary in the axils of the leaves, forming racemes often branching into narrow panicles. Bracts rarely present except in northern part of range, c. 0.24 x 0.1-1 mm, in pairs or sometimes solitary, immediately below calyx. Pedicels (lower-most) 1-9 mm long. Calyx often distinctly bilabiate, tube 0.3-1.8 mm long, posticous lobes x 0.4-1 mm, anticous lobes slightly broader, glandular-puberulous, hairs up to 0.1 mm long or occasionally some up to 0.2-0.4 mm (see discussion). Corolla tube 5-13 x 34.5 mm across throat, funnel-shaped, limb nearly regular, 8-15 mm across, posticous lobes 2.4-5 x 1.8-5 mm, anticous lobe 3-6 x 2-4.5 mm, all oblong-elliptic, shades of pink or mauve but often white along the southern Cape coast, throat yellow/orange, glandular-puberulous outside, hairs up to 0.15-0.25 mm long, inside weakly to strongly bearded with longitudinal bands of clavate hairs. Stamens 4, anthers 0.8-1.5 mm long, anticous pair exserted, filaments 2.5-5 mm long, posticous pair in throat or sometimes shortly exserted, filaments 1.2-2.8 mm long, either glabrous or with a few tiny hairs. Stigma 1.2-4 mm long, exserted. Style 3-11 mm long. Ovary 1.8 x 0.6-1.2 mm, glabrous or with a few glistening glands on sutures. Capsules 3-5 x 3 mm. Seeds 0.5-1 x 0.3-0.5 mm, pallid or greyish-blue. Plants can possibly be found in flower in any month, but the peak period appears to be May to September.
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Suffrutex, up to 600 mm high; often erect, much branched, leafy at least in upper parts. Leaves opposite, rarely alternate near apex, up to 25 x 4.5 mm, linear to narrowly elliptic, obtuse, base often decurrent, margins ± revolute. Flowers single, axillary, in racemes, these sometimes in narrow panicles. Calyx usually clearly bilabiate. Corolla: tube 5-13 mm long, throat yellow or orange; lobes pink or mauve, some blue or purple. Posticous stamens in throat or shortly exserted.
Glandular-hairy shrublet, up to 0.6 m tall, hairs on stem up to 0.1 mm long. Leaves narrow, clasping stem at base, margins ± rolled back. Flowers axillary, forming racemes or narrow panicles, corolla tube funnel-shaped, 5-13 mm, white, pink or mauve with yellow to orange in throat.
Glandular-hairy shrublet to 60 cm. Leaves narrow. Flowers axillary forming racemes or narrow panicles, tube funnel-shaped, 5-13 mm, white, pink or mauve with yellow throat.
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