 long, membranous, broadly linear- or obovate-oblong, rounded at the tip, bearing at the back above the middle a dense thick pencil of white velvety hairs, these bundles of hairs, meeting beyond the leaves, envelope the whole”.The plant has circular cushions up to 1 m. or more diam., up to 5 dm.or more tall formed by the woody branches very close-packed and a strong stock.