Oldenburgia papionum Dc.

Low shrub with short, thick stem marked by leaf scars. Leaves about 11 in each apical tuft, obovate-oblong, 78-260 mm long, 12-75 mm wide. Peduncle 456-900 mm long, tomentose to glabrescent, bearing several reduced leaves and 1-3 cymosely arranged capitula. Involucre cyathiform in bud, globose-urceolate in flower, 40-55 mm long, 40-70 mm wide. Involucral bracts 5-7-seriate, lanceolate, 12-17 mm long, tightly bound together with silky-wool. Ray florets 20-40, white, tube 8-9 mm long, outer lip entire or deeply 3-partite, 12-16 mm long, inner lobes 7-9 mm long, all lobes pubescent; anthers 8-9 mm long, including 3 mm long tails; style 16-22 mm long, achenes linear, densely hairy, 5-8 mm long, 1 mm wide; pappus of 11-14 plumose bristles 11-13 mm long. Disc florets about 500-1000, cream or pinkish-brown, appearing yellow in bud, tube 12 mm long, lobes c. 5 mm long; anthers 9-10 mm long, including 2-4-mm long tails; style 19-23 mm long, achenes linear, densely hairy 9-12 mm long, 1-1.50 mm wide.