Erica chionodes E.G.H.Oliv.

Erect, sparse to compact shrub up to 600 mm tall, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: main branches erect 30-50(-80) mm long, with determinate, occasionally continuing growth; secondary branchlets very short, ± 1-2 mm long on every node; tertiary branchlets occasional, ± 1 mm long on previous year's secondary branchlets; all branches pilose to hirsute with spreading hairs. Leaves 3-nate, subspreading, narrowly lanceolate-oblong, 2.5-3.5 x 0.4-1.2 mm, adaxially flat, abaxially rounded with rounded margins, partially open-backed, sulcus broad, open at base, pilose to hirsute all over except in sulcus; petiole 0.5 mm long, pilose. Inflorescence: flowers 1 (-3)-nate on ends of secondary, and occasionally tertiary, branchlets, crowded along and towards ends of main branches in dense spike-like synflorescences 100(-200) mm long; pedicel 1.7 mm long, pilose, pale red; bract partially recaulescent about 1/6 way up pedicel, narrowly lanceolate, 0.4 x 0.15 mm, not sulcate, pilose, white; bracteoles 2, like bract but placed slightly higher up pedicel and slightly smaller. Calyx 4-lobed, 0.9 x 0.5 mm, tube about 1/6 length of calyx; lobes ovate, adpressed to corolla, with very short, subapical, wide sulcus, puberulous, very pale green to white. Corolla 4-lobed, urceolate, 2.8-3.8 x 2.0 mm, puberulous, white; lobes 0.8 x 1.0 mm, rounded, erose. Stamens 8, included; filaments free, linear, ± 2 mm long, with slight apical S-bend, glabrous, white; anther bilobed, dorsally attached near base, ovate in adaxial view, appendiculate; thecae erect adpressed, ovate-elliptic in lateral outline, ± 0.5 x 0.3 mm, aculeate, brown, spurs irregularly linear-lanceolate, ± 0.7 mm long, slightly longer than thecae, pendulous, with few lateral teeth, yellowish, pore 1/3-1/2 length of theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 4-locular, broadly obovoid, ± 1.0 x 0.9 mm, rounded, finely hairy all over, green, with reddish green apical portion and dark red nectaries around base; ovules ± 6 per locule, pendulous from placenta in upper half of locule; style manifest, 2 mm long, dull reddish; stigma truncate to sub-capitulate, dull red. Fruit a dehiscent capsule, ± 1.5 x 1.8 mm, valves fused ± 1/4 at base, opening to ± 45° angle; septa about equally split on valve and columella. Seeds ellipsoid, ± 0.5 x 0.4 mm, slightly flattened laterally, testa medium hard in texture, orange, reticulate-alveolate, cells 60-75 x 35-45 µm, anticlinal walls undulate to slightly jigsawed, inner periclinal wall pitted with fairly large pits occasionally coalescing.