(1) With its thick tomentum and indumentum and its pointed dark green leaves, with its dense growth habit, and with its pretty flowers, it is a major asset to any garden.(2) The leaves of O. colensoi are sparingly tomentose on the upper surface of the young leaves, but the tomentum disappears before the leaves are fully developed.(3) Leaves lack the thick tomentum beneath the leaf that characterizes the white linden.(4) The back of its leaves is covered with grayish-white tomenta .(5) Setae type range from being thin and highly branched, forming dense tomenta , to being broad and spatulate.(6) It is erect and rigid, light green in color slightly shaded reddish brown, fairly tomentous and glandular, and bearing some tiny prickles.(7) Each inflorescence bears numerous, small flowers with widely spreading tepals, tomentose on the outer surface, and a labellum with well-developed side lobes.(8) The petals are bright Indian-orange, silvery tomentose outside and glossy inside.(9) Both the corolla and calyx are fairly rigid and tomentose externally.(10) They begin to form in late August and early September and are visible as white, tomentose buds at the base of the stems.
