Gnidia pinifolia leaves against the stems

This Gnidia pinifolia plant seen in Fernkloof in March has its leaves from ascending close to the stem to pressed upon it and on each other. Here huddling as if against the cold, the leaves often spread on plants of this species.

The dull green leaves are sharply pointed and smooth, overlapping well enough to conceal the young stems completely. Not so on the leafless, old one that displays only a pattern of knobbly leaf scars along its grey surface.

Only at the flowering stem-tips the inflorescences force the leaves to spread somewhat; the stem-tip leaves possibly a tad wider than those lower down.

The unopened flowers remind of minaret shape, the pointed bud having a thickened section close to its tip where the turret would have a railing around the circular platform. Floral colours shade from creamy yellow to white (Manning, 2007; Bean and Johns, 2005; iSpot).