Anthospermum bergianum Cruse

Subshrub or ± short-1ived dwarf shrub, mostly dioecious (seldom also ('male') ± odd ('bisexual')or('bisexual')), single-to few-stemmed, usually erect, with woody tap root to 220 mm long. Stems (50-)80-150 mm long in younger, occasionally to 450(-750) mm long in older flowering specimens, sparingly to much branched, branches ascending to erect, densely leafy above. Leaves in whorls of 3, occasionally in whorls of 4 or decussate, often pseudoverticillate; blades mostly erect or ascending, ± imbricate, (4-)5-12(-15) x (1.2-)1.5-3(-3.5) mm, linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, margins, sometimes also mid-rib below or entire lower surface, covered with white spreading hairs (0.3-)0.5-1 mm long, often reddish brown above; petioles 0; stipular sheath with or without a minute seta. Flowers subsessile, in clusters of 3-9 at nodes, in('female')sometimes more;('female')inflorescences dense and ± cylindrical, c. (20-)30-120(-170) x 10-20 mm; corolla 5-merous (in('female')sometimes also 4-merous), yellowish, sometimes reddish tinged outside, with white hairs c. 0.3-0.5 mm long at least near tip or glabrous (especially('female')) ('male')(odd('bisexual')): tube 0.7-1 mm long, funnel-shaped, lobes 1.9-3 x 0.6-1.1 mm, anthers 1-1.6 mm long; rudimentary ovary (('male')) to c. 0.2-0.5 mm long ('female'): tube(0.1-)0.3-0.6 mm long, lobes 0.5-1.2 x 0.2-0.4 mm; style 1-2.8 mm long; stigmas 2, (6-)8-3.5 mm long; ovary 0.8-1.5 x 0.6-1 mm, not crowned by distinct calyx lobes. Fruit brown or reddish brown, often ± shiny; mericarps 1.8-2.5 x 0.9-1.1 mm, ± obovate to oblong, ± densely papillate or sometimes with white spreading hairs to c. 0.2 mm long, not crowned by distinct calyx lobes.