Pelargonium inquinans (l.) l'hér. Dc.

A moderately branched, softly woody shrub, 1-2 m. high. Branches terete, 1.5 cm. towards the base and reduced to 5 mm. on the ultimate flowering branches, soft when young with a large juicy pith, becoming hard externally with age, densely and shortly glandular pubescent. Leaves petiolate; the petioles up to about 7 cm. long, but reduced to 2 cm. on flowering twigs of old plants; the lamina orbicular, deeply cordate, shallowly 5-7-lobed with the lobes several-toothed or crenate, 4-8 cm. broad, softly pubescent with glandular and eglandular hairs mixed on both surfaces. Stipules broadly ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 5-14 mm. long, 5-12 mm. broad, soon becoming membranous. Peduncles 8-20 cm. long, pubescent with short glandular hairs and short and long eglandular hairs, 15-30-flowered; the bracts subtending the flowers with the outer-whorl united at the base, similar but narrower in proportion to the stipules, subpersistent. Flowers pedicellate; the pedicel 2-3 cm. long with the fused nectariferous calyx spur extending about 2-5 mm. from the base, glandular-pubescent. Sepals oblong-lanceolate obtuse or subacute, 8-10 mm. long. Petals scarlet; the two upper slightly smaller than the others, obovate-cuneate, sub-truncate at the apex, 1-1.5 cm. long, 5-7 mm. broad; the lower three up to about 1.7 cm. long, and 1 cm. broad. Fertile stamens normally 7. Ovary densely villous; fruit about 4-5 cm. long with the beak covered with spreading white or light grey hairs (National Herbarium, Pretoria, No. 27264).