Chaenostoma revolutum flowering well

Chaenostoma revolutum is a perennial shrublet growing to 60 cm in height with a branching, erect to spreading habit. Several Chaenostoma shrubs are known as skunkbushes, on account of their fetid smell. This one is the fineleaf skunkbush, suggesting a well below pleasant odour.

The flowers are small, mauve-blue or pink with orange throats from which yellow anthers protrude. The flower tube of C. revolutum is 1 cm or shorter. The five petals have rounded tips. 

The genus name refers to the gaping or funnel-shaped flower tube found on the plants. Chaeno means open or to gape in Greek; stoma means mouth, also in Greek (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2010; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984).