Holy smokes – what to do with this one? You look like, too much like, Petalidium variabile. But I want to believe you are distinguishable from that species for multiple reasons.

The identity crisis (which could be as much my problem as its) remains a mystery. We have encountered strange populations that seem to intergrade between ‘good’ P. rossmannianum and plants of the Petalidium variabile sort. We have encountered other populations where the differences seem so clear. Desperately awaiting molecular data.

Wish us luck. Kyle and I need it. Even Lucinda spent several puzzled moments by this ‘boot-if-ful’ species…

Wild collected [numerous times], Namibia, Tripp & Dexter #4053 (RSA); Photos by Erin Tripp