Eriospermum paradoxum leaf appendage

The photo shows the erect appendage found upon an Eriospermum paradoxum leaf. It is this conspicuous feathery structure upon the leaf resembling a micro-tree that earned the plant the Afrikaans common name of haasklossie (rabbit tassel).

The appendage is much dissected and may be extremely fuzzy as in the photo, although the hairs are not always as dense as seen here. The foam-like white hairs obscure the lower branching of the finger-like, green segments in the photo.

The actual leaf found below is ovate in shape, green in colour, tinged with purple and much less noticed than the tiny "tree" (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Le Roux, et al, 2005; iSpot).