Erica arachnocalyx E.G.H.Oliv.

Compact semi-spreading shrublets to 300 mm tall, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: numerous main branches terminating in inflorescences with occasional short lateral flowering branchlets, all pubescent and with numerous spreading minutely gland-tipped stouter hairs 0.2 mm long admixed, becoming grey-pubescent usually without glands, no infrafoliar ridges. Leaves 3-nate, erect to slightly spreading, often shorter than internodes, 2.0-4.0 x 0.8 mm, oblong, apex obtuse, rounded on both sides with obtuse margins, narrowly sulcate, pubescent all over with short simple hairs and with 0.4 mm long gland-tipped hairs admixed abaxially and marginally; petiole 1.0 mm long, adpressed, pubescent, occasionally also with longer gland-tipped hairs. Inflorescence: flowers 3-nate in 2-4 whorls, umbel-like, terminal on main branches or short lateral branchlets; pedicel 1.5-2.0 mm long, puberulous and with occasional stalked glands; bract partially recaulescent, approximate to the calyx, the lower in inflorescence leaf-like, the upper reduced to 2/3 the size, 1.0-1.5 x 0.4 mm, lanceolate to oblong, apex subacute, subnarrowly sulcate 1/4 its length, puberulous and with sparse stout long gland-tipped hairs abaxially, green becoming reddish; bracteoles 2, approximate, like bract but 1/2-3/4 the length. Calyx 4-partite, fused 1/10 at base, segments 1.5-2.0 x 0.6 mm, oblong to lanceolate, apex acute, sulcate subnarrowly for 1/2 with prominent slightly raised mid-vein, puberulous and with stout gland-tipped hairs, green. Corolla 4-lobed, 2.5-3.2 x 1.5 mm, narrowly ovoid to tubular, sharply 4-angled, minutely puberulous, green to white to yellowish; lobes 0.4 x 0.8 mm, obtuse, erose and often with hairs or occasionally glands on margin, erect. Stamens 4-8, free, exserted or manifest; filaments shorter than corolla, linear, straight, glabrous; anthers dorsifixed near base, oblong to obovate, muticous or very rarely spurred near apex of filament; thecae 0.8 x 0.3 mm, elliptic, smooth, minutely toothed on inner edge occasionally with a few small hairs at base, light brown; spurs short, spreading; pore 1/3-2/3 length of theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 2-locular, 0.5 x 0.5 mm, obovoid, emarginate, glabrous, occasionally with a few short hairs apically, green becoming red, with basal nectaries; ovules 1 per locule, erect on placenta in lower half of locule; style exserted, about 1.5x the length of corolla, glabrous; stigma slightly cyathiform but appearing capitate due to viscid material. Fruit a passively dehiscent capsule due to considerable enlargement of basally attached seeds, about 2x the length of ovary; Pericarp very thin and papery, endocarp very thin, mesocarp thin red with some crystals, exocarp colliculate, thick celled; seed ellipsoid, the testa thin, smooth, yellow, cells elongate with jigsawed anticlinal walls, with numerous pits.