Gomphostigma virgatum, the river star or in Afrikaans otterbossie (little otter bush), is a shrub of more than 2 m. It has erect, flexible, silvery stems and small, narrow, opposite leaves.  The flowers are white, growing in short racemes. Flowering occurs in summer and autumn.

The plant grows by rivers, sometimes in water.  The distribution is in the eastern parts of South Africa, as well as along the Gariep to the west coast.

There are two species of Gomphostigma, the word meaning club-shaped, referring to the flower stigma. The other one is a South African endemic, G. incomptum, found inland in the Western Cape and in the Northern Cape (Manning, 2009; www.plantzafrica.com).

(There is also a Plant Record on this Site for this species.)