Root parasitic plant, silky-hairy, up to 20cm. Rough, small, scale-like, pale yellow leaves lacking chlorophyll; flowers are hairy in loose short racemes, on short stalks, broadly funnel-shaped, wavy-edged, purple or deep-pink with a yellow throat, about 30mm long, fragrant; stigma knob-like.

Host plants are various fynbos shrubs especially in the Campanulaceae family, such as Roella and Wahlenbergia.

Turns black when handled or dried.