Youth and age are juxtaposed here: The still closed Lasiosiphon deserticola buds are cream, club-shaped and hairy, while the dying flowers are dry and brown, differently hairy on their pale tubes. The flower lobes curve in on the short-tubed buds, out on the long-tubed, withered flowers.

The narrow leaves around the two floral clusters appear similar. Some leaves are nearly flat, others curve in markedly at their tips.

There is also a stem contrast, creamy green in youth, while dry, leafless and gnarled when aged (Vlok and Schutte-Vlok, 2015; Shearing and Van Heerden, 2008; Manning and Goldblatt, 1997; Bond and Goldblatt, 1984; iNaturalist; http://pza.sanbi.org).