Compilation
Osbeckia zambesiensis

Erect or sometimes ascending or prostrate, perennial herb up to 60 cm., with the stems often arising from a woody rootstock. Stems 1 to several, simple or ± branched towards the apex, obtusely 4-angled, reddish, more or less densely covered with long and whitish ± patent bristles. Leaves 1–6 x 0–5·2 cm., subcoriaceous, the lower ovate or ovate-oblong, the upper ovate-oblong, oblong or lanceolate, acute or subacute, roundish at the base, with cartilaginous ± conspicuously serrate margin, dark green above, paler beneath, 3–5-nerved, ± densely hairy on both faces; petiole up to 4 mm. long, densely setose. Flowers 4-merous, in dense heads surrounded by the uppermost leaves; bracts numerous, variable in size, scarious, bristly mainly at the margin; pedicels up to 5 mm. long. Receptacle up to 6 mm. long, reddish, covered with simple bristles and appendages stellate-setose at the apex; intersepalar segments stalked, the stalks c. 4·5 mm. long, penicillate-setose at the dilate apex, the setae c. 4 mm. long. Sepals triangular, as long as or shorter than the receptacle, with an appendage similar to the intersepalar segments at the apex. Petals usually 17 x 15 mm., obovate, mauve-pink. Stamens usually unequal or sometimes subequal, the longer ones with filaments 6 mm. long, anthers 2·5–5 mm. long with a strongly curved pedoconnective 5·5 mm. long provided with a furcate appendage 2·5 mm. long, the shorter ones with filaments 5·25 mm. long, anthers 3·5 mm. long with a pedoconnective c. 0·5 mm. long, 2-tubercled at the base. Fructiferous receptacle up to 7 x 4 cm., urceolate. Capsule subglobose, with an apical corona of bristles. Seeds numerous, c. 0·5 mm. long, cochleate, reddish.