Erica boucheri E.G.H.Oliv.

Low compact shrub up to 300(-500) mm tall, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: numerous erect main branches terminating in an inflorescence with numerous flowering seondary branches 1.8 mm long, all densely canopubescent with reflexed hairs, no infrafoliar ridges. Leaves 3-nate, erect, imbricate or as long as internodes, 1.5-2.5 x 0.5 mm, oblong to elliptic to obovate, adaxially flattened, abaxially rounded and narrowly sulcate, apex subacute to obtuse, edge acute, glabrous often with apical tuft of hairs, rarely with a few long hairs abaxially, ciliate with hairs and sessile glands; petiole adpressed, 0.1-0.2 mm long, glabrous to sparsely puberulous, ciliolate. Inflorescence: flowers 3-nate in 1(2) whorl, when 2 then umbel-like, terminal on main branches and secondary branchlets; pedicel short, 0.1-0.2 mm long, broader than long, glabrous; bract fully recaulescent as abaxial lobe of calyx; bracteoles 2, fully recaulescent as the lateral lobes of calyx. Calyx 4-lobed, unequal, 0.7-1.3 x 0.6-1.0 mm, obconic to broadly and shortly funnel-shaped, glabrous, yellowish green; lobes, the larger abaxial 2/3 as long as corolla, 3/4 length of the calyx, imbricate laterally, elliptic to oblong, the other 3 lobes 1/3-1/2 the length of calyx, ±1/2 as long as corolla, elliptic, apex subacute to obtuse, sulcus narrow 1/2 as long as lobes, long ciliate. Corolla 4-lobed, 1.0 x 0.8 mm, obovoid to obovoid-urceolate, glabrous, creamish sometimes tinged red; lobes 1/4-1/3, of corolla, erect to incurved, deltoid, apex subacute to obtuse, entire. Stamens 4, included, free; filaments broad, 0.4 x 0.3 mm, oblong, straight, glabrous; anthers bilobed, subcuneate, dorsifixed near base, muticous; thecae erect adpressed, 0.6 mm long, elliptic, glabrous, smooth; pore 1/2-2/3 the theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 1(2)-locular, 0.5 x 0.4 mm, ellipsoid, very slightly assymmetrical, apex acute, sparsely puberulous in upper half, nectaries absent; ovule 1 per locule, pendulous from apical placenta; style distinct, 0.6 mm long, glabrous; stigma exserted, 0.7 mm broad, broadly cyathiform becoming broadly funnel-shaped with edges collapsing inwards, red. Fruit indehiscent, hard, ±2x ovary, ellipsoid, slightly flattened laterally, with distinct vertical dehiscence line on both sides; pericarp hard, mesocarp thick, red, with pitted lignified cells, endocarp thin yellow slightly lignified but not thick and hard, inbetween layer with many crystals; seed with very thin testa, cells elongated with jigsawed radial walls, with a few pits in tangential walls only. Flowering time: March to May, fruiting till November.