Lobostemon argenteus

The leaves are lanceolate to ovate in shape and possess long and short hairs. The inflorescence is cymous (the topmost bloom flowers first), restricted to two flowers per cyme. The flowers are medium in size (rear petals being 17-30 mm long), bell-shaped and fused below to form a tube; the 5 sepals are lanceolate in shape; dissimilar in width, shorter than half of corolla tube as well as unfused to each other; the 5 petals are predominantly violet-blue and hairless on the outside. The 5 stamens are shortly fused with the petals; the staminal scales occur well below the entrance of the corolla tube, are reduced to ridges and do not possess lateral lobes. Styles are hairy.

Lobostemon argenteus flowers mainly from August to November, although flowering specimens have been collected as late as April in the Caledon region It exhibits a disjunct distribution, occurring in three distinct regions. Current field work has resulted in re-collections within the boundaries of the Western Cape.Attempts to re-collect in the Kamiesberg vicinity and near Grahamstown have failed. The present disjunct distribution of L. argenteus is probably indicative of a once widespread distribution.

Lobostemon belliformis

The leaves are oblanceolate in shape and possess hairs similar in length. The inflorescence is cymous, with a large number of flowers per cyme. The flowers are large (rear petals longer than 30 mm); tubular in shape and fused below to form a corolla tube; the 5 sepals are oblong in shape, similar in width with two to four sepals partly fused; the 5 petals are predominantly pink to red and hairy on the outside. The 5 stamens are fused to the petals above staminal scales (for 5 mm or longer); staminal scales occur well below the entrance of the corolla tube. They are reduced to mere swellings and do not possess lateral lobes. Styles are hairy.

The plants grow mainly on stabilized sand dunes near Gouriqua, flowering from September to middle October. The showy and abundant red flowers attract birds, particularly the Orangebreasted and Lesser Doublecollared Sunbirds ( Nectarina violacea and N. chalybea ) as well as the Cape Sugarbird ( Promerops cafer ).  See more about this plant.

Lobostemon curvifolius

The leaves are narrowly oblong to oblanceolate in shape and possess hairs similar in length. Inflorescence is cymous, with a large number of flowers per cyme. The flowers are large (rear petals longer than 30 mm), bell-shaped and fused below to form a corolla tube; the 5 sepals are oblong, similar in width and unfused to each other; the 5 petals are predominantly violet-blue, or pink and hairy on the outside. The 5 stamens are shortly fused to the petals above staminal scales (less than 5 mm); staminal scales occur well below the entrance of the corolla tube, are reduced to ridges and do not possess lateral lobes. Styles are hairy.

Lobostemon curvifolius flowers mainly from August to October. The species does not appear to be confined to a single soil or vegetation type and occurs from Houw Hoek to Cape Infanta. In the western parts of its distribution range, it is mainly found in the Mountain Fynbos vegetation. Over the remaining distribution range it occurs mainly in South and South-west Coast Renosterveld. Limited collections have also been made in the Limestone Fynbos in the De Hoop area.

L. coronopifolia L.

A tufted shrublet, basally branched which grows up to 300 mm high. The leaves are sessile or sub-sessile, linear-lanceolate, 25-40 x 2-5 mm. The peduncle is axillary and terminal, generally 1-2-flowered. The corolla is purple-violet with exceptions of pink and white, glabrous, ± 20 mm long. The capsule is oblique-ellipsoid. The flowering period is between October and April. It occurs on sandy and stony flats as well as on lower mountain slopes. The species is mostly distributed in the Cape, especially Table Mountain but also occurs on the south and east coasts.

L. comosa L.

This soft, glabrous shrublet grows up to 0.5 m and is basally branched. The leaves are indistinctly petiolate or sessile, oblanceolate, 1.5-5.0 x 0.2-0.5 mm. The inflorescence is a raceme. The corolla is about 12 mm long and bright blue. The capsule is obconical. The flowering period is mainly August to January. Sandy, coastal slopes are preferred and the species ranges from Cape Peninsula to Caledon.