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Leaf-lamina 2–6 x 0·7–1·6 cm., ovate to ovate-lanceolate or elliptic, acute at the apex, contracted at the base, entire, folded along the midrib or rarely flat, arched and reflexed, rigid, concolorous, sometimes reddish, ± sericeous (hairs white, shining, very thin, long, straight, denser towards the lamina-base), longitudinally 5–7-nerved, the longitudinal nerves slightly raised beneath, the transverse nerves and reticulation inconspicuous on both faces; petiole ± absent to 4 mm. long, sericeous.
Flowers 5-merous, solitary at the apices of branches, surrounded by the uppermost rather broad leaves and by large, sub-circular, apiculate, ± scarious, purple or brown, caducous bracts sericeous outside; pedicels c. 3 mm. long.
Sepals ± 17 x 5 mm., linear-oblong or oblong, contracted at the base, somewhat acute, dorsally sericeous, late caducous; intersepalar segments c. 5 mm. long, spathulate, sericeous on both faces and tipped with long bristles.
Receptacle c. 12 x 10 mm., subhemispherical, densely sericeous, ths long thin white hairs inserted on oppressed ± flat appendages, successively longer from the base to the receptacle summit (here c. 3 mm. long).
Branches 4-gonous, very densely leafy towards the apex and ± sericeous with long very thin white hairs, leafless and glabrescent proximally; bark brownish or grey, ± fissured.
Longer stamens: anthers 13–16 mm. long; pedoconnective c. 19 mm. long with the basal appendage 3–5 mm. long.
Shorter stamens: anthers 11–13 mm. long, pedoconnective c. 4 mm. long, with basal appendage c. 3 mm. long.
Fructiferous receptacle c. 15 mm. in diameter, subspherical. Capsule c. 15 mm. in diameter, globose.
Petals 4–5 x 3–3·7 cm., bright magenta to purple.
Leaves opposite, subsessile to shortly petiolate.
A shrub or shrublet 0·5–2 m. tall.