Helichrysum cephaloideum DC.

cephaloideum: "head-like", referring to the compact inflorescence of capitula.

Erect perennial herb, up to c. 40 cm tall, growing from a woody rootstock. Stems 1-several, mostly simple, with appressed hairs. Basal leaves usually shrivelled at time of flowering, when present sessile lanceolate to oblanceolate-oblong, up to 40 cm long, grey woolly. Leaves along the stem up to 6 × 1 cm, narrowly oblong-lanceolate, decreasing in size upwards, grey woolly, particularly below. Capitula forming a dense corymbose head, up to 9 cm in diameter. Involucral bracts glossy bright yellow or straw-coloured, often brown-tipped, rarely purple-brown, c. 6-seriate, up to 6 mm long, ovate. Florets yellow.

Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Swaziland and S Africa as far as the Southern Cape.