Slender, silvery-haired shrublet up to 60cm. Leaves overlapping, paired, oval, silky when young; yellow to pale orange flowers, woolly outside; vanilla-scented at night.

Greek: strouthos = any small bird, especially a sparrow; possibly referring to the seeds which are pointed and likened to a sparrow's beak.

Latin: tomentum = woolly, matted: referring to matted, woolly down on stems, leaves and flowers.

Common name Roemenaggie is derived from the fact that the flowers exude a sweet scent at night, literally 'gad about at night'.