Crassula columella Marloth & Schönland

Perennials with erect stems up to 0.15 m high, often with a few branches from base or at top. Leaves broadly ovate, 5-8 x 6-10 mm, with obtuse often mucronate apices, concave above, convex below, closely clasping around stem (including leaf apex) to form a four-angled column 7-20 mm in diameter, velvety, green to yellowish green or often tinged red towards apices. Inflorescence a loose round-topped thyrse with peduncle (15-)20-50(-60) mm long, with fine, slightly recurved hairs. Calyx: lobes triangular, 1-1.5 mm long, bluntly acute or obtuse, covered with fine spreading hairs often slightly recurved, with marginal cilia, fleshy, green to red. Corolla tubular, fused basally for 0.2-0.3 mm, cream to pale yellow fading to brown; lobes oblong to oblong-elliptic, 2-2.5 mm long, usually obtuse, spreading to recurved. Stamens with brown anthers. Squamae transversely oblong to almost square, 0.5-0.6 x 0.5-0.7 mm, slightly emarginate, scarcely constricted towards base, fleshy, yellow. Flowering period: (February) March-April.