Eriospermum is a genus of the family Eriospermaceae. The genus name is derived from the Greek words, erion for “wool” and sperma for “seed”. Once you look at the seeds you can see why this name was given. The seeds of Eriospermum species are covered in a dense layer of white hairs.

Eriospermum cernuum, synonymously known as Eriospermum duthieae or Eriospermum macrum and commonly known as Perdeklou in Afrikaans and Frog Woolseed or Cottonseed in English, is a South African endemic species found in the Western Cape province growing on damp sites on sandstone soils. Eriospermum cernuum plants are up to 35cm tall. The leaves are usually dry at flowering, erect, lanceolate to heart-shaped, leathery with sometimes a red margin. The flowers in a slender, often sub-secund (to one side), spike-like raceme on a slender peduncle, cup-shaped, white and slightly scented; pedicels 2-3mm long.