Evergreen tree rarely growing more than about 8 m but to 16 m in its native habitat. Leaves mostly 10-15 cm long,1.5-3 cm wide, oblong-lanceolate, stalkless and covered on both surfaces with soft, silky, silvery hairs. Flowers in terminal yellowish heads. Fruit a nut with a persistent calyx and style.

Grows naturally in a small area of the extreme SW of the Cape on mountain slopes, alt. 150-330 m, in heavy gravel soils.

S Africa (Cape).

Leaves with an extraordinarily silver sheen.

 VIC: Dandenongs (Hamer Arboretum, plantation, 1978); Portland (Bot. Gds). TAS: Penguin (coast road, near town).

Source: Spencer, R.; Molyneux, B.; Mathews, D. (2002). Proteaceae. In: Spencer, R.. Horticultural Flora of South-eastern Australia. Volume 3. Flowering plants. Dicotyledons. Part 2. The identification of garden and cultivated plants. University of New South Wales Press.