Coleonema pulchellum leaves and flower

The leaves of Coleonema pulchellum ascend, alternating or scattered up the lemon yellow to pale brown stems.

The leaf-shape is narrowly oblong or linear, ending in an attenuating mucro protrusion. The hairless blades appear finely ridged in picture. The petioles are short, in picture whitish. The leaves become up to 1 cm long.

The flowers grow solitary on short branchlets or from upper leaf axils, subtended by bracts. Flowers may be crowded near stem-tips. The five clawed petals are obovate in shape, forming a tiny cup before spreading and ending in narrowly protruding tips. Flower colour is white or pink.

There are five stamens, each anther has a gland at its tip. There are also five staminodes, each positioned in a groove low in the claw of the petal and joined with it at the base. The ovary comprises five carpels, positioned on the nectar disc (Leistner, (Ed.), 2000; Moriarty, 1997; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).