Erica columnaris E.G.H.Oliv.

Stoutish, erect, virgate shrub 0.5(-1) m high, singlestemmed reseedcr. Branches: main branches of previous season often devoid of leaves and terminating in a compact innovation zone of 7-15 fastigiate leafy secondary branches, these terminating in synflorescences 15-40 mm long, branches glabrous with infrafoliar ridges, tertiary branchlets very reduced, 0.5 mm long terminating in a florescence. Leaves 4-6-nate, subspreading-incurved, imbricate, 7-8 x 1 mm, lanceolate, flat adaxially and slightly rounded abaxially, glabrous, ciliolate, sulcus narrow and closed at base; those on tertiary reduced branchlets in 2 or 3 whorls, very small, bract-like and whitish; petiole 0.8 mm long, appressed, glabrous, ciliolate. Inflorescence: 1(2) flowers subterminally on very reduced lateral branchlets appearing axillary to the longer leaves on secondary branches, these arranged in column-like synflorescences 15-40 mm long at ends of secondary branches; pedicel 2 mm long, glabrous; bract partially recaulescent V3 up the pedicel, 1 x 0.7 mm, ovate, acute, esulcate, glabrous, ciliolate, light green; bracteoles 2, fully recaulescent as lateral lobes of calyx, occasionally 2 partially recaulescent and appressed to calyx, rarely in middle position, when partially recaulescent then like the bract in shape. Calyx 4-partite; lobes appressed to corolla, occasionally lateral two imbricating at base, 1.5 x 1 mm, ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, ciliolate, green often tinged red, sulcus narrow, 1/3 length of sepal. Corolla 4-lobed. 2.5 x 2.5-3.0 mm, urceolate, glabrous, wine-red with whitish base; lobes recurved. 0.8 x 1 mm, broadly triangular, margins entire. Stamens 8. free, included; filaments 1 mm long, broadly oblong, flat, straight in upper half, glabrous, white; anthers bilobed, ovate in front view, awned; thecae erect, appressed, glabrous, dark brown; awns decurrent on filament, ±0.1 mm long, linear, simple, pendulous, white; pore V2 length of theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 4-locular, 8-lobed, 0.5 x 0.8 mm, oblate obovoid. emarginate, glabrous, reddish green, nectaries absent; ovules 4 per locule, spreading from placenta in central position on columella; style exserted, 2.5 mm long, narrowly cylindric, sometimes slightly curved apically, glabrous, greenish white base and dark red apex; stigma peltate-capitate, sometimes reflexed, dark red. Fruit a dehiscent capsule, 1.2 x 2 mm, valves splitting to ±45° and nearly to the base, septa ±30% and very thin on columella and 70% on valve, placenta very convoluted, columella easily shed from capsule. Seeds 0.5 x 0.4 mm, ellipsoid, circular in cross section, yellow brown, testa reticulate, cells 60 x 90 µm. radial walls narrowly wavy.