Carpacoce curvifolia Puff

Perennial herb with woody base or dwarf shrub, ('bisexual') or ('female'), many-stemmed, decumbent, seldom ± erect. Stems c. (0.1-)0.15-0.5(-0.6) m long, ± sparsely to much branched. Leaves decussate or (rarely) in whorls of 3; blades (4-)6-10(-12) x (1-)2-4 mm, lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, usually strongly re-03curved, rigid, shiny, glabrous or margins faintly scabrid; stipular sheath cup-shaped. Flowers single or paired at nodes, ± sessile, largely hidden in stipular sheaths or, if terminal, with pedicels up to 4 mm long; calyx 4-merous, lobes (0.8-)1-2.4 mm long, lanceolate to triangular, ± spreading, 2 often up to twice as long as the others; corolla 4-merous ('bisexual'): tube (1-)1.5-2(-3) mm long, lobes c. 2-3 x 0.8-1(-1.5) mm; anthers 0.8-1.5(-1.7) mm long ('female'): tube 0.5-1 mm long, lobes 0.5-1 x 0.3 mm; stigma 1, 4-6 mm long; ovary 1-1.2 mm long. Fruit greyish brown, c. 2-2.5 x 1-1.5 mm, ± obovate, lower half often laterally compressed and hidden in stipular sheath, 1-seeded; diaspore c. 1.2-2 x 0.8-1.2 mm, black, ellipsoidal, base often with an appendage of (easily removable) spongy tissue, ± rugose.