Erica feminarum E.G.H.Oliv.

Erect, slender shrublet 200-300 mm high, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: 1-3 erect main branches, 50-130 mm long, continuing vegetative growth, rarely ending in a florescence, numerous erect secondary branchlets, (2)3 at every node, 2-5 mm long, with a terminal florescence; all branches with simple short spreading hairs; internodes on main branches ± 10 mm long, on secondary branchlets 0.5 mm long. Leaves 3-nate, erect, ± 4.0 x 0.5 mm, narrowly oblong, incurved, adaxially flattened and minutely hairy, abaxially rounded and narrowly sulcate, with subacute margins, minutely hairy towards margins, ciliolate; petiole appressed, 0.8 mm long, ciliolate. Inflorescence: 1-flowered terminal on short secondary branchlets, pendent, often aggregated into spike-like synflorescences towards ends of main branches; pedicel 1.5-1.8 mm long, curved, minutely hairy, red; bract partially recaulescent in basal position, appressed, 0.9 x 0.3 mm, lanceolate, without a sulcus, minutely hairy, red; bracteoles 2, near middle of pedicel, like bract but slightly smaller. Calyx 4-partite, appressed to corolla, minutely hairy; lobes imbricate at base, 1.1 x 1.1 mm, broadly ovate, ciliolate, dark red. Corolla 4-lobed, 4 x 3 mm, cyathiform, dark red, buds almost black, covered with minute white unicellular hairs; lobes 1.1 x 1.8 mm, broadly triangular, erect, acute, ciliolate, entire. Stamens 8, free, included; filaments 2 mm long, linear, erect, straight, glabrous, red; anthers bilobed elliptic to ovate in outline, erect, light brown, muticous; thecae appressed, 0.5 x 0.3 mm elliptic to ovate, smooth, pore 1/3 length of theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 4-locular, 1.0 x 0.9 mm, depressed globose, emarginate, glabrous, green, with basal nectaries; ovules 4-6 per locule, spreading from placenta covering entire columella; style included, 2 mm long, narrowly cylindrical but broadening towards base, glabrous red; stigma capitate dark red. Fruit not seen.