Erica calcicola (E.G.H.Oliv.) E.G.H.Oliv.

Erect compact shrub 0.3-1.3 m tall, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: numerous erect main branches terminating in an inflorescence with many flowering secondary branches 2-10 mm long, all puberulous with spreading to reflexed hairs, with slight infrafoliar ridges when young, the older noticeably jointed with conspicuous leafscars and grey remnants of infrafoliar ridges. Leaves 3-nate, erect incurved subimbricate, 1.5-3.5 x 0.8 mm, broadly elliptic to ovate, adaxially flattened to concave, abaxially rounded and narrowly sulcate, apex acute, edges acute ciliolate to serrate when older, glabrous but puberulous on lower adaxial basal surface; petiole adpressed, 0.5-0.6 mm long, puberulous adaxially, glabrous abaxially, shortly ciliate. Inflorescence: flowers 3-nate in 1(2) whorls, when 2-whorled then umbel-like, terminal on main branches and secondary branchlets; pedicel very reduced, 0.05 mm long, or absent, glabrous; bract fully recaulescent as abaxial sepal; bracteoles 2, fully recaulescent as lateral sepals. Calyx unequally 4-lobed, lobed 1/3-1/2 way, 1.0-1.5 x 1.5 mm, obconical to tubular, mostly as long as corolla tube, lobes laterally imbricate; larger lobe slightly longer and narrower than other 3, all broadly elliptic to ovate with incurved acute apices, very thick, ciliolate on lower half. Corolla 4-lobed, 1.5-1.7 x 1.5 mm, obconical to cyathiform, glabrous, green with lobes tinged red; lobes broad triangular, /3 as long as the corolla, bulging out between calyx lobes, apex subacute, erose. Stamens 4, included; filaments fully connate into a semitransparent straight glabrous tube; anthers bilobed, dorsifixed near base, muticous; thecae erect, 1 mm long, elliptic, apex obtuse, with internal basal pore connecting the thecae, glabrous; pore 1/2 as long as the theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 1-locular, very small, 0.4 x 0.3 mm, ellipsoid, glabrous, nectaries absent; ovule 1, pendulous, placenta apical; style distinct, 0.8 mm long, with 4 longitudinal grooves and acute ridges, glabrous; stigma manifest to exserted, 1.2-1.3 mm broad, broadly funnel-shaped with erect to incurved edges to subpeltate when older, glabrous, red. Fruit indehiscent 1.0 x 0.8 mm, ellipsoid, smooth white protected by the thick calyx-tube; pericarp very thin papery and brittle, mesocarp thin transparent with many crystals, endocarp very thin; seeds ellipsoid, brown, testa slightly thickened, cells shortly elliptic, with slightly collapsed outer tangential walls, radial walls evenly thickened and jigsawed, pitted.