Eriocephalus africanus var. africanus leaves

Eriocephalus africanus var. africanus adds leaves to form tufts as the stems age. The youngest stem has only single leaves, alternate or spiralling up the reddish stem. The stems thicken with age, becoming browner and darker.

The very short, pale and sparse hairiness on the banana- to club-shaped, cylindrical leaves are not easy to spot with the naked eye (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; iSpot).