Roella incurva

Roella incurva is a branched shrublet of up to 40 cm with incurving, narrow, awl-like leaves. They are often hard, hairy and toothed with spiny prickles. The leaves often grow in axillary tufts. The stems are covered in white hairs.

The flowers are sessile, growing in groups of up to three at stem-tips. The narrow bracts at the flower base are longer than the leaves. The five white or blue petals form a flower cup at their lower ends, recurving and tapering gracefully towards their pointed tips. There is usually a conspicuous dark blotch, ringed with white, midway up each petal at the rim of the cup (Bean and Johns, 2005; Manning, 2007).