Gomphocarpus tomentosus subsp. tomentosus

tomentosus: tomentose, densely woolly

Shrubby perennial herb, up to c. 1.5 m tall. Stems erect, branched, woody near the base; young branches densely tomentose. Leaves opposite, linear, up to c. 12 cm long, tapering to a point at the apex, minutely pubescent above tomentose below; margin slightly rolled under. Flowers in extra-axillary, 3-6-flowered nodding umbels. Corolla lobes reflexed, yellow-brown or green, often tinged pink and tomentose on the outside. Corona lobes attached less than 1 mm above the base of the staminal column, white or cream, laterally compressed, as tall as the column. Follicle erect on a twisted pedicel, ovoid, tapering to a long pointed beak, sometimes subspherical without a beak, tomentose when young, soft bristles in lines along the surface.

Southern Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, South Africa.