Woody herb or shrub 0.5–2.5 m. high; stem 4-angled; branchlets densely appressed pubescent.. Leaf-lamina lanceolate, lanceolate-ovate or narrowly oblong, 1.5–7 cm. long, 0.5–2 cm. wide, apex subacute, base rounded to truncate, white sericeous above at first, becoming appressed setulose, appressed pilose beneath; midrib and 2 pairs of longitudinal nerves impressed above, subprominent beneath; petiole 0.5–5 mm. long.. Inflorescence terminal, flowers solitary, ± concealed at first by the leaves; flower 5-merous; bracts often reddish, tardily deciduous, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, 13–14 mm. long, 8–12 mm. wide, sericeous.. Calyx-tube (fig. 12/3, p. 33) cup-shaped, 12–14 mm. long, 8–12 mm. in diameter, densely appressed sericeous-villous, hairs concealing the scale-like appendages; lobes caducous, lanceolate, 9–14 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, subacute, sericeous-villous; intersepalar appendages alternating with appendages opposite the sepals, semi-orbicular or semi-elliptic, 2–4 mm. long, pubescent, margins long setose (appendages often concealed by the indumentum of the calyx).. Petals mauve to reddish purple, obovate, 35–40 mm. long, 22–27 mm. wide.. Stamens 10; 5 large stamens with anthers 10–14 mm. long, connective produced 15–25 mm., 2 filiform appendages 2 mm. long, filament 15 mm. long; 5 short stamens with anthers 8–12 mm. long, connective produced 3–4 mm., 2 filiform appendages 1.5 mm. long, filament 13 mm. long.. Fruiting calyx enlarging to 15 mm. long and 12 mm. in diameter; capsule setose at the apex, not exserted.
More
Similar to D. cryptantha Bak. f. Differs by: leaves up to 7·5 x 2 cm., usually not so densely sericeous; flowers larger, surrounded by the upper leaves and by ovate bracts, floriferous receptacle 10–12 x 9–12 mm.; sepals up to 15 mm. long, more constricted at the base; intersepalar segments up to 6 mm. long; petals 3–3·5 x 2·5–2·7 cm.; anthers of the longer stamens c. 12–13 mm., those of the shorter ones c. 9–11 mm. long; sericeous hairs of the receptacle longer (up to 10 mm. long), all inserted on flat appendages, successively longer from the base to the apex of the receptacle; fructiferous receptacle up to 12–13 mm. long.
Home