Achyropsis gracilis C.C.Towns.

Spreading annual (?) with a slender rootstock, 30–40 cm., rooting at some of the lower nodes, sparingly branched in the lower part of the stem with branches divergent at 45° and then ascending; stem and branches tetragonous and striate, moderately furnished with rather long flexuose hairs.. Leaves elliptic-ovate, 2–4 × 0.7–1.3 cm., cuneate into a short (2–4 mm.) petiole below, shortly pointed and subacute at the apex, paler on the lower surface, both surfaces moderately furnished with fine whitish subappressed multicellular hairs.. Peduncles 1–4.5 cm., indumentum similar to that of the stem; inflorescence at first conical-capitate, becoming elongate with the flowers increasingly distant below, 2–6 × 0.6 cm.; axis white lanate; bracts lanceolate-ovate, 2 mm., aristate with the excurrent midrib, finely ciliate, persistent; bracteoles suborbicular-ovate, ± 1.25 mm., finely ciliate, hyaline, the midrib excurrent in a short fine but distinct mucro.. Tepals elliptic, reducing in width from the outer to the inner, membranous, whitish save for a narrow central green vitta, glabrous, 3 mm., the slender midrib excurrent in a very short mucro.. Stamens ± 2 mm.; filaments filiform; pseudostaminodes oblong with a truncate ventral scale, the dorsal scale long-fimbriate with the cilia subequalling the filaments.. Ovary obpyriform.. Style slender, ± 1 mm.. Capsule subglobose, 1.5 mm.. Seed chestnut, filling the capsule, apiculate beneath the style-base, shining, feebly reticulate.