FLANAGANII ssp. MZIMVUBUENSIS   van Jaarsv., 2019

Distribution : SA, Eastern Cape, shale cliffs and steep banks along Mzimvubu and Msikaba rivers.

Description by van Jaarsveld, 2019 :

Ascending much-branched evergreen succulent shrublets, 200 – 400 mm tall (without inflorescence).

Roots fibrous.

Branches 6 – 8 mm in diameter, ascending, green, the lower branches broader with smooth brownish bark becoming more woody with age, nodes 2 – 3 mm apart (up to 15 mm in shade).

Leaves densely crowded at the ends of the branches, spirally arranged, ascending-spreading, subterete at the base, dorsiventrally compressed towards the apices, 70 – 80 x 8 – 10 mm (up to 18 mm broad at tip), linear-spathulate, surface green, sparingly glandular hairy, margin at apical portion reddish cartilaginous, apex subacute to subtruncate, mucronate.

Inflorescence an ascending thyrse 180 - 250 mm long, bearing 1 -3 dichasia, peduncle with leaves gradually modifying into bracts, uppermost bracts below inflorescence, 12 x 4 mm, linear obovate.

Corolla pendent, bright orange-red, 15 x 8 mm, the tube 15 mm long on pendent pedicels 20 - 30 mm long, corolla tube not bulging, sepals triangular, 4 mm long, 2 mm wide, sparingly ciliate, adnate to tube, green, glandular hairy petals lanceolate, 15 x 5 mm long, becoming recoiled, their apex surface glabrous, anthers 2 x 1.5 mm, yellow, exposed for up to 10 mm, squamae transversely oblong, 2 x 1 mm, yellowish, emarginate to subtruncate at the apex, stamens 10, in two whorls, erect, yellowish-green, 17 and 20 mm, fused to the tube in lower third, with a dense tuft of hairs at the point of attachment, carpels 5, tapering to slender styles 20 mm long.

Flowering time : Midwinter.

Note :

The ssp. mzimvubuensis differs from ssp. flanaganii mainly by its leaves distinctly spathulate at the red margined, mucronate tip (not pointed), sparingly beset with glandular hairs and corolla 30 x 8 mm. The leaves are not unlike some forms of the yellow-flowering C. campanulata from the south-west of the Eastern Cape.