The plants at first are solitary, with drooping rosettes of succulent leaves, dividing and forming decumbent to pendent clusters. The stems are 15–20 mm in diameter and up to 250 mm long with persistent purplish remains of leaves and leaf bases. The rosettes grow up to 600 mm diameter. The roots are grey-brown, fleshy, terete, ± 1.5–2.0 mm diam. The leaves 10–15 per rosette, initially ascending to ascending-spreading, linear-lanceolate, 200–450 ´ 12–30 mm, the tips drawn to a point (apex acuminate) and bearing a short stiff end (mucronate). The leaves are shallowly to deeply channelled (canaliculate) on the upper surface but rounded below, green and soft, also with faint lines (striate), the margin is entire. The inflorescence is 250–450 mm long and densely flowered in the upper third. The raceme up to 170–200 mm long; peduncle up to 2.5 mm diameter at base, biconvex. The floral bracts are linear, about 10–12 mm long, conspicuous in the young inflorescence and protruding far above the young flowers. The floral pedicles are12–15 mm long. The flowers (perianth) 18–20 mm in diameter when open, the tepals yellow with greenish yellow median stripes and sharp tips. The outer tepals narrowly spear-shaped (lanceolate), about 12 ´ 2.5 mm, the inner spear-shaped (lanceolate), 10 ´ 3 mm. The stamens (male parts) up to 7 mm long, bearded in central part, with hairs 1–1.5 mm long. The ovary (female part) rounded and about 2 mm in diameter. The style erect and about 4.8 mm long. The fruiting capsule is rounded (globose) and about 3.5 mm in diameter. The seed 2 ´ 1.5 mm, angular, greyish-black. Flowering is mainly in spring (September to November).

Fig. 2. Illustration of Bulbine keiskammaensis by Marieta Visagie.