Erica annalis E.G.H.Oliv. & I.M.Oliv.

Sparsely branched, erect to spreading shrub, 0.2-1.0 m tall, often with gnarled old basal stems/branches, single-stemmed. Branches: main branches 50-100(-200) mm long; secondary branches vestigial; stems grey, very finely short-haired, sometimes with a few gland-tipped hairs admixed; internodes up to 5 mm long. Leaves 4-nate. 12-15 x 1 mm, subspreading to spreading, recurved, glabrous or with a few, sparse, basal hairs and a few spicules abaxially, ± circular in cross section, sulcus narrow, open at base; petiole 1 mm long adpressed, fine-haired, yellow. Inflorescence: 1-3 flowers in a single whorl at ends of main and secondary branches, sub-spreading to spreading; pedicel 10-15 mm long, finely short-haired with numerous longer, stalked, red, gland-tipped hairs admixed, green to reddish; bract partially recaulescent in basal position, oblong, ± 1.7 x 0.4 mm, finely short-haired, margins with minute sessile glands, green-brown, sulcus minute; bracteoles 2 in lower half of pedicel, otherwise same as bract but sulcus often absent. Calyx 4-partite; segments lanceolate, ± 5 x 0.4 mm, not laterally imbricate, fine-haired with glandular margins, green to reddish; sulcus ± 1/2 length of segment, narrow. Corolla 4-lobed, ± 25 x 4 mm, tubular, funnel-shaped, curved with slight constriction above ovary, with scattered, short and a few longer, simple hairs, bright orange-red; lobes ±3 x 3 mm, subacute, margins entire, spreading to recurved. Stamens 8, free, manifest to exserted; filaments linear, straight, very sparsely pilose, white with pale red apex; anthers bilobed, dorsally attached ± 1/3 way up, narrowly oblong-elliptic in adaxial view, muticous; thecae narrowly oblong and ± 5 x 0.6 mm in side view, smooth, golden brown to reddish brown, pore ± 1/3 length of theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 4-locular, cylindrical to narrowly ellipsoid, ± 3.3 x 2.2 mm, 4-lobed with rounded apex, covered with dense, long, erect hairs, nectaries present around base; ± 35 ovules per locule, spreading from full-length placenta; style ± 27 mm long with a few hairs towards base, white, reddish towards apex; stigma truncate simple, reddish. Fruit a dehiscent capsule, ± 5 x 4.5 mm, obovoid, hard and woody, valves splitting 35° for 3/4 their length, placenta whole length of capsule, septum mostly on valve. Seeds ± 1 x 0.7 mm, broadly ellipsoid with one side slightly flattened, brown; testa slightly alveolate, cells ± hexagonal ± 100 x 75 µm, anticlinal walls thin straight inner periclinal wall with numerous small pits. Flowering time: July to October, but probably at other times depending on summer rains as evidenced by old flowers on flowering material.