Description :

• Spiny, glabrous, usually densely tufted, succulent perennials
• Stems erect or ascending, 6-12-angled, with angles tuberculate-toothed; each tubercle furnished with 3(1) apical, bristle-like, modified leaves
• Inflorescence 1 per stem with 1-few flowers produced in succession from near base of stem
• Sepals ± ovate-lanceolate
• Corolla with campanulate or elongate-campanulate tube up to 150 mm long and lobes up to 25 mm long, spreading, with small projecting points in sinuses; outside longitudinally flecked and barred with maroon on cream to greenish; inside densely covered with papillae, each tipped with a short seta, with maroon spots on pale yellow coalescing towards base into dark maroon patch around base of gynostegium
• Corona 2-seriate, arising from staminal column; outer lobes shortly united at base, produced into 10 filiform segments sometimes with knob-like apex, with tooth between pairs at base; inner corona lobes 5, linear, incumbent on back of anthers
• Staminal column arising from base of corolla
• Anthers 2-locular, descending towards centre of style head, without apical appendage
• Pollinia ± horizontal, with short caudicles
• Follicles erect, fusiform, glabrous, smooth
• Seeds with tuft of hairs
• x = 11 (1 report)

Nomenclature:

• Tavaresia Welw.
  • Welwitsch: 79 (1854)
  • Brown: 901 (1909)
  • White & Sloane: 1103 (1937)
  • Bullock: 508 (1957)
  • Furtado: 443 (1967)
  • Leach: 349 (1974)
• Decabelone Decne.
  • Decaisne: 404 (1871)
  • Bullock: 509 (1957)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global : Species 2, Africa
• Southern Africa : Species 1: Tavaresia barklyi (Dyer) N.E.Br. ( T. meintjesii R.A.Dyer, recorded from Northern Province and Mpumalanga, is thought to be a hybrid), widespread excluding KwaZulu-Natal, Lesotho and Swaziland