Duvalia pillansii N.E.Br.

Dwarf succulent forming mat 40-150 mm diam. Stems 10-40 mm long, 7-15 mm thick, decumbent, very short and compact to cylindrical, green; tubercles 2-5 mm long, conical, fused near bases into 4(-5) broadly obtuse obscure rows along stem with groove between them, abruptly narrowing into narrowly lanceolate leaf-rudiment (0.5-)1-2 mm long, usually with very small stipular glands. Inflorescence arising from middle to base of stem, of 1-4 flowers opening in gradual succession; pedicel 7-15 mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm thick, spreading then ascending to hold flower facing upwards; sepals 3-6 mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm broad at base. Corolla 20-35 mm diam.; outside purplish green; inside red to shiny purple-brown on lobes changing to cream around edge of tube and inside it; annulus 2.0-2.5 mm tall, 7-10 mm broad, circular, mound-like with sides sloping outwards to lobes, containing outer corona and at least bases of inner lobes, covered with fine papillae <0.5 mm long; lobes 7-14 mm long, 7-8 mm broad at base, longitudinally laxly folded along midrib and only tightly folded near apex so ovate-acute, ± convex above, with fine purplish hairs 2-3 mm long along margins in lower two thirds. Corona 4-5 mm diam., cream to pale yellow; outer lobes forming ± circular disc somewhat below mouth of tube and completely contained in it; inner lobes 0.5-1.0 mm long, with spreading to ascending dorsal projection ±1 mm long.