Low, loosely to densely caespitose shrubs with procumbent rhizomatous stems, forming clumps 0.5-1.0 m in diam. Stems subterranean, glabrous, with black parallel veined lanceolate scales. Leaves oblanceolate to broadly oblanceolate, occasionally spathulate to broadly spathulate, 200-600 mm long, 20-85 mm wide; petiolate, petiole 10-100 mm long; apex acute to obtuse, blade flat, rarely undulate, midrib prominent, margins horny; sparsely villous at first soon becoming glabrous; slightly scabrous and heavily coriaceous at maturity, pubescence persisting on petiole. Inflorescence obconic in bud, opening to shallowly crateriform, the involucral bracts becoming patent and stellately spreading with the floral parts apparently everted; 60-120 mm in diam., surrounded by several loosely arranged dark brown, narrowly lanceolate acute, glabrous scales. Involucral receptacle conic-depressed, 15-35 mm wide, up to 15 mm high. Involucral bracts 5-6 seriate; outer series lanceolate to broadly lanceolate acute, 15-25 mm long, 5-15 mm wide, loosely arranged, papyraceous when dry, carmine when fresh, glabrescent but margins ciliate; inner series widely splayed, narrowly lanceolate acuminate, 35-50 mm long, 5-7 mm wide, densely silvery velutinous to lanate. Perianth 35-45 mm long, straight; tube 10 mm long, becoming tomentose along the inner surface distally; claws slender, glabrous to villous externally but densely tomentose along inner margins; limbs linear acuminate, 10-12 mm long, sparsely villous to villous, apex often crinite. Anthers 4, subsessile. Style 35-45 mm long, adaxially arcuate, compressed but swollen proximally, tapering and terete distally, carmine when fresh. Pollen presenter linear, not clearly differentiated from style, 10 mm long. Ovary obconic 5 mm long, covered with long, straight white trichomes. Hypogynous scales ovate 1.5 mm long. Flowering takes place between September and December, but is greatly influenced by factors such as elevation and the frequency of veld burning.
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Dwarf shrub, rhizomatous, with subterranean stems with black scales, resprouting, 0.5-1.0 m high. Leaves petiolate, oblanceolate to spathulate, folded lengthwise, 200-600 x 20-85 mm, rough, coriaceous, hairless when mature, margins horny. Flower head cup-shaped, 60-120 mm in diam., with loose, dark brown, lanceolate, basal bracts. Involucral bracts 5-or 6-seriate; outer series lanceolate, acute, 15-25 x 5-15 mm, loosely arranged, carmine becoming papyraceous, hairless with hairy margins; inner series lanceolate, acuminate, 35-50 x 5-7 mm, densely covered with woolly hairs. Flowers: perianth white, 35-45 mm long, straight, tube 10 mm long, glabrous but tomentose distally with shaggy hairs; style 30-35 mm long, carmine; pollen presenter 10 mm long, linear. Flowering time Sept.-Dec.
Rhizomatous, clumped, resprouting shrublet to 1 m diam. Leaves petiolate, oblanceolate-spathulate, rough, glabrescent. Flower heads cup-shaped, 60-120 mm diam., involucral bracts acuminate, carmine, densely white-woolly outside near tips, style 30-45 mm long.
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