Anthospermum hirtum Cruse

Subshrub or distinct dwarf shrub, 'male', 'bisexual', 'bisexual' + 'female', 'female' or 'bisexual' + 'male', few to several-stemmed, ± cylindrical, rounded or low, ± matted and weak, often with ± thick, woody (tap-)root. Stems c. 0.2-1(-1.5) m long, often ± much branched; ± densely covered with whitish spreading hairs c. (0.2-)0.5-1.4 mm long, or hairs sometimes only in two rows, rarely only around stipules. Leaves decussate, occasionally ± pseudoverticillate; blades (6-)8-25(-30) x (0.5-)0.8-3(-4.5) mm, narrowly oblanceolate to ± linear-lanceolate, often distinctly discolourous, upper surface shiny, epidermis cells large, conspicuous, lower epidermis distinctly papillate; margins, at least near base, and often also upper surface ± densely covered with white spreading hairs c. 0.4-1(-1.5) mm long; petioles ±0-1 mm long; stipular sheath with a subulate hairy seta c. (0.5-)1-2.5(-3) mm long. Flowers subsessile to shortly pedicellate (in fruiting 'female' pedicels occasionally to c. 0.7 mm long), in clusters of 6-2 at nodes; corolla 5-merous (occasionally also 4-merous in 'female'), greenish yellow or(dark)purplish red, with whitish spreading hairs at least near tip. 'Male', 'bisexual': tube 0.5-1.5(-2) mm long, (narrowly) funnel-shaped, lobes (1.7-)2-3.4(-3.7) x 0.5-0.8(-1) mm; anthers (1-)1,4-2(-2.2) mm long; 'male': small rudimentary ovary and sometimes also rudimentary stigmas present; 'bisexual': style 0-1 mm long; stigmas 2, c. 2-3(-5.5) mm long, greenish white, greyish or(seldom)reddish purple; ovary c. (0.5-)0.9-1.2 x 0.5-1 mm, not crowned by distinct calyx lobes. 'Female': tube 0.3-0.8(-1.2) mm long, lobes (0.1-)0.3-1 x 0.1-0.3 mm; gynoecium as in 'female' but stigmas 3.7-7.5 mm long. Fruit reddish brown; mericarps 1.9-2.7 x (1-)1.2-1.7 mm, ± oblong, with large conspicuous epidermis cells or (rarely) with odd hairs or papillae, not crowned by distinct calyx lobes.