Description :

• Low trees or dwarf shrubs with thick stems covered with remains of old leaf bases
• Leaves alternate, rosulate at ends of branches, obovate or elliptic, convex above, apex obtuse or subacute, base cuneate but expanded at junction with stem, densely silky-woolly, margin subrevolute; young leaves densely tomentose with projecting and conspicuous veins
• Capitula radiate, large, sessile or pedunculate
• Involucre ovoid, globose-urceolate or cyathiform; bracts in 4-10 rows, outer shorter than inner
• Receptacle flat, epaleate, alveolate
• Ray florets female; corolla white, bilabiate, outer lip long, strap-shaped or tripartite, inner lip of 2 delicate, linear, curled lobes; tube cylindrical
• Anthers : filaments filiform; stamens lanceolate, without apical appendages, bases sagittate, tailed
• Style terete, with very short branches
• Disc florets many, regular, tubular, deeply 5-lobed
• Stamens as in ray florets but with lanceolate, sterile apices
• Gynoecium as in ray florets
• Cypselas fusiform, elliptic or linear, glabrous and ribbed or villous
• Pappus of 11-30 plumose or barbellate bristles, often of unequal length
• x = 9 (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Oldenburgia Less.
  • Lessing: 252 (1830)
  • Candolle: 12 (1838)
  • Harvey: 512 (1865)
  • Marloth: 282 (1932)
  • Phillips: 50 (1951)
  • Bond: 493 (1987)
  • Bremer: 103 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 4, endemic, southern parts of Western and Eastern Cape