Diosma aristata I.Williams

Shrubs 70 cm tall, erect, well branched, fairly dense, arising from a single stem at ground level. Branches scattered, erect, glabrous, ashy coloured, remaining leafy for a long time, not hidden by the leaves. Leaves up to 19 mm long, 2.4 mm broad, subulate, acute, with a very sharp point at the apex, margins narrowly translucent with a sharp smooth edge, narrowed slightly at the base to a petiole about 0.5 mm long, glabrous, dark green, triangular in cross-section, gland dotted on both sides of the midrib, scattered, spreading-erect. Inflorescence terminal, with up to 5 flowers in a reduced compound raceme; flowers about 6 mm diam., pedicellate, the white petals widely spaced with the greenish calyx lobes and disc clearly showing, opening in succession over a long period of time. Bract pertaining to the outermost flower 6 mm long, 1.1 mm broad, leaf like; the innermost or upper becoming vestigial, about 1 mm long, 0.6 mm broad, deltoid, glabrous. Bracteoles two, placed above the pedicel at the base of the calyx, 0.7 mm long, 0.5 mm broad, lanceolate, acute, glabrous, margins translucent, very minutely serrulate, virtually vestigial. Calyx lobes five, 1.5-1.8 mm long, 1.2 mm broad, oblong, apiculate, glabrous, flat, with about 4 gland dots, margins translucent, minutely serrulate. Petals five, 3 mm long, 1.5 mm broad oblong, obtuse, sessile, white, spreading widely. Staminodes five, vestigial, a minute gland about 0.1 mm diam. towards the apex of the lobe of the disc. Filaments five, becoming 1.6 mm long and spreading widely after anthesis, glabrous. Anthers five, before anthesis 1.3 mm long, 0.8 mm broad, oblong, yellowish, with a globose sessile apical gland. Pollen 51µ long, 24µ diam., oblong. Disc 5-sinuate, 5-crenulate, green, exceeds the ovary, stands open forming a cup which fills with nectar. Stigma 0.25 mm diam., capitellate, globose, green. Style deflexed at first, becoming 1.2 mm long, erect, glabrous. Ovary 5-carpellate, 0.7 mm long, 0.8 mm diam., with the carpels minutely bristly around the edges above. Fruit 5-carpellate, pedicellate; carpels 12 mm long, including the horn 5 mm long, glabrous, well endowed with oil glands which readily give off a rather sweet pleasant smell; horns spread widely, with apices minutely pubescent. Seed 5.5 mm long, 2.5 mm broad, black, shining.