Plants forming loose cushions with 5-8 thin, ± erect spreading, annual branches from the top of a thick taproot < irregular shape, white and soft inside, dark brown bark outside] plants to 20 cm high, to 40 cm diam., internodes rough from prominent, longitudinally elongate bladder cells, which also occur on the pedicels and the bases of the fruits; leaves spreading, widening from a narrow base and narrowing to an acuminate tip, 45-50 mm long, 6-7 mm broad, 4-5 mm thick in basal position, those in the inflorescence up to 16 mm long, 4 mm broad, 31 thick, bladder cells in rows distant and round, higher and almost balloon-shaped ones on the lower leaf surface, those along margins a little longer, especially near the led base; inflorescences as spreading dichasia raised well above the plant, representing the annual growth, persisting for a season bearing the capsules, which fall out of their basal parts leaving star-shaped remains behind for some time; flowers 23-25 mm I petals ca. 22, white, with ca. 9 mm about twice as long as the calyx lobes when the flower first opens, filamentous staminodes ca. 15, white, 4.5 mm long; capsules grey, firm, base funnel-shaped, top only a little raised from low, recurved valve rims, valve wings almost semi-lunate, up to 1 mm broad, capsules 5-6 mm high, ca. 5 mm in diameter.
Home