Didelta carnosa leaves

The leaves of this Didelta carnosa plant, growing next to the road between Springbok and Steinkopf, are hairy.

The supposedly hairless D. carnosa var. carnosa is expected to grow in this area, the hairy var. tomentosa only close to the coast. The plant is not as white with hairs as the latter variety normally is, so this is a marginal case, possibly still var. carnosa, or some intermediate specimen that defies the variety classification.

The long, narrow leaves curve inwards along the main axis and strongly down to their margins. This shape is already established in the young leaves in picture.

The shorter floral bracts concealing the beginnings of a flowerhead are triangular, finely hairy with margins that also curve down but less markedly (Le Roux, et al, 2005; iNaturalist).