Barleria rigida Willd. ex Nees

Spiny shrublet 10-45 cm tall, much-branched and spreading; stems retrorsely white-puberulent mainly or exclusively on two opposite-decussate sides, nodes often strigose. Leaves rather coriaceous, narrowly oblong(-lanceolate), elliptic or rarely ovate, 1-3.2 x 0.3-1 cm, base cuneate, margin white-cartilaginous, sinuate, with or without marginal spines, apex acute and apiculate or spinose, surfaces sparsely yellow-strigose at least along midrib beneath, sometimes also minutely puberulent when young; lateral veins indistinct, midrib prominent beneath; petiole 0-5 mm. Inflorescence a contracted unilateral cyme 1-2.5 cm long in upper axils, each (1) 2-6-flowered; bracteoles green with white margin or whitish throughout, (linear-)lanceolate, 12-25 x 1-4 mm, margin with 4-10 lateral spines per side 1.5-4.5 mm long, apex long-spinose. Calyx coriaceous, pale green at first with whitish margin and base, turning whitish throughout; anterior lobe elliptic or lanceolate, 10-16.5 x (3) 4-5 mm, base attenuate, margin with 5-13 lateral spines 1.5-4.5 mm long ending in a stiff bristle, apex spinose or bifidly so, surface sparsely strigose and sparsely puberulent or glabrous, palmate-reticulate venation ± prominent; posterior lobe ovate or lanceolate, 12-23 x (3.2) 4.5-6 mm, apex attenuate into a long spine; lateral lobes linear-lanceolate, 6-8.5 mm long. Corolla 25-33 mm long, white, pink, pale blue or violet, pubescent externally with mixed glandular and eglandular hairs; tube 15-19.5 mm long, cylindrical, very narrowly campanulate towards mouth; limb subregular; abaxial lobe 8-13 x 6.5-9.5 mm; lateral lobes as abaxial but 5.5-8.5 mm wide; adaxial lobes 8.5-15 x 4-7 mm. Stamens attached ± midway along corolla tube; filaments 16.5-22 mm long; anthers 1.5-2.5 mm long; lateral staminodes 1.2-2.7 mm long, pubescent at base, antherodes 0.5-0.9 mm long. Ovary with ring of minute crisped white hairs at apex and extending onto style base; stigma clavate or subcapitate, 0.4-0.65 mm long, apex bilobed. Capsule 9.5-12.5 mm long, glabrous; seeds c.4 mm long and wide.