_Planta_ subacaulis, ramis paucis brevissimis e radice crasso carnoso ramoso. _Folia_ in rosulam aggregata, plana, cuneata, crassa, suberecta, apice retusa vel rotundata, apicem versus margineque tuberculis minutis griseis numerosis munita. _Flores_ apice ramulorum solitarii. _Calyx_ 5-fidus, lobis subaequalibus triangularibus, colore griseo foliorum. _Petala_ lanceolata, uniseriata, saturate rosea. _Stamina_ incarnata basin versus barbata. _Stigmata_ 8-10, filiformia, staminibus aequilonga.
This is a beautiful plant when in flower, owing to the contrast between the deep pink petals and the rugose grey leaves. It was collected on a stony plain of grey shale near Sutherland, at an altitude of 4600 feet, by Dr. R. Marloth, and flowered in his garden at Cape Town in September, 1921.
DESCRIPTION:--_Root_ thick, fleshy, simple or branched up to 30 mm. in diam. and 20 cm. long. _Stem_ none, but one or more short branches arising from the crown of the caudex. _Leaves_ crowded, 6-10 on a branch, mostly erect and exposing the margin to the midday sun, cuneate, gradually narrowed to the base, the apex straight or slightly rounded, occasionally with a blunt mucro; the apical portion, and especially the apical margin, closely covered with fine tubercles; on the wild plant the entire leaf greyish-green, the margin reddish. _Flowers_ solitary on each branch, sessile or subsessile, supported by 2 connate leaf-like bracts. _Calyx_ turbiniform, 10-12 mm. long, the tube 11-13 mm. in diam. at the mouth; sepals 5, of which 3 nearly equal, the 2 others narrower, all triangular, 10 mm. long and wide, with a very narrow hyaline margin and a thick umbo below the apex, finely tuberculate like the leaves, grey, the margin red. _Petals_ uniseriate, narrow-lanceolate or spathulate, 13-14 mm. long and 2-2·5 mm. wide in the middle, deep pink on the inner side, paler on the outer side. _Stamens_ white, bending inwards near the base and then erect, bearded at the bend. _Styles_ 8-10, filiform, 6 mm. long, arising from the apex of the conical ovary. Total diam. of open flower 20-25 mm., opening in the sun and closing towards evening for several days.
PLATE 73.--Fig. 1, longitudinal section through the flower; Fig. 2, calyx; Fig. 3, gynaecium; Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, petals and stamen; Fig. 8, entire leaf; Fig. 9, cross-sections of leaf.