[1] An evergreen, Trichocladus ellipticus ranges in size from a scrambling shrub to a small, many-branched tree to 10m, while the subspecies malosanus reaches up to 15m.

[1] Flowers: Ranging in colour from yellowish green to cream, the spiky, ragged axillary or terminal heads are about 2 cm in diameter, and closely resemble Hamamelis in shape.

ellipticus: Endemic to South Africa and has smaller, narrower leaves with an attenuate apex.

malosanus:[1][2] Occurs in Zimbabwe and adjacent Mozambique, and has noticeably larger, broader leaves with a slightly rounded apex.

[3] Trichocladus is derived from Greek and means 'hairy-branched' (τριχός trichos, ‘hair’; κλάδος klados, ‘branch’),[3][4] while ellipticus, also derived from Greek (ελλειπτικός), means ‘about twice as long as broad, oblong with rounded ends, elliptic’.