Notes

G. kakothamnos is a very variable and widespread species of drier habitats. The typical form with its white flowers and bright pink filaments is very distinctive and especially eye-catching when flowering leafless.The flowers often appear before the leaves, and when they do they are often numerous, clustered and subsessile. Once the leaves have developed the flowers are often scattered, solitary and on relatively long pedicels, thereby looking more like G. nematopus. The flowers though are still small and the pedicels usually thicker and pubescent.Forms of this species with ± glabrous or glabrescent leaves can appear similar to both G. nematopus and G. erythraea, and are possibly the result of hybridisation or introgression with those species. They can usually be distinguished easily from G. nematopus by the shorter pedicels and smaller flowers. The difference between them and G. erythraea is less distinct but the latter species usually has more coriaceous and distinctly glaucous leaves, its flowers are always white and appear with the leaves. Hybridisation with G. tenax is also a possibility, see under that species.This and G. nematopus have often been included as varieties of G. tembensis Fresen. but apart from differing in leaf and indumentum characters, the flowers of G. tembensis are never solitary, with ± 3 flowers per peduncle. A few collections have been made in K 7 and T 3, 450–750 m, with 2–4 flowers per peduncle (Teita District: Taveta, Kitobo, Mar. 1937, Dale in F.D. 3635 & Mt Kasigau, 4 Apr. 1969, Faden, Evans & Rathbun 69/421; Lushoto District: Bombo–Daluni, 24 Oct. 1935, Greenway 4098 & Umba Steppe, below Mlalo, Dec. 1966, Procter 3395 & Makuyuni District, 23 Mar. 1936, Koritschoner 1566). In all other respects they match G. kakothamnos and I believe that they are nothing more than forms that have reverted to a multi-flowered state. More information is needed on whether these forms are present in entirely multi-flowered populations and if so whether they are linked to any particular ecology or habitat.