Barleria holubii C.B.Clarke

Very spiny shrub forming dense, rounded clumps, 15-150 cm tall; stems with short white spreading or retrorse hairs, evenly distributed or concentrated in two opposite lines. Axillary spines 2-4-rayed, subsessile, longest ray 10-23 mm long. Leaves broadly obovate, 0.8-3 x 0.6-1.7 cm, base attenuate or cuneate, apex rounded or abruptly narrowed, mucronate, shortly spreading-pubescent at least beneath when young, with longer ascending or appressed hairs on margin and veins beneath; petiole 0-3 mm. Inflorescence axillary towards stem apex, flowers solitary, subsessile; bracts foliaceous; bracteoles spinose, (8.5)12-21 mm long, bracteoles of old inflorescence persisting. Anterior calyx lobe lanceolate, 8.5-13.5 x 2-3 mm, apex spinose or notched-spinose, surface with white spreading or retrorse hairs, with or without coarser ascending hairs along margin and short spreading glandular hairs towards apex, venation parallel; posterior lobe 9-14 mm long; lateral lobes narrower. Corolla salver-shaped, 30-37 mm long, yellow or pale orange, densely pubescent externally, limb with or without occasional glandular hairs; tube narrowly cylindrical, 20-26 mm long; limb subregular, lobes widely spreading; abaxial lobe 6.5-11.5 x 5-6.5 mm; lateral lobes 7-12 x 5-6 mm, adaxial lobes as abaxial but 3.5-5.5 mm wide. Stamens with filaments 8-9.5 mm long, pubescent in proximal half; anthers wholly or only partially exserted, 1.9-2.5 mm; lateral staminodes 0.6-1.5 mm, pubescent, antherodes 0.6-1 mm. Ovary glabrous; stigma c.0.5 mm long. Capsule 10.5-14.5 mm long, glabrous. Seeds c.7 x 5 mm.