Erica marifolia [soland.]

Straggling and diffuse or, sometimes erect, shrublet up to 30 cm (1 1/2 ft). Branches spreading, puberulous with longer, weaker hairs admixed. Leaves 3-nate, 5-7 mm long, and 2.5-5 mm broad, ovate or elliptical, open-backed, lying flat in one plane, shortly pubescent above, velvety below, sometimes ciliate, with a few longish, glandular, hairs. Flowers in umbels at the ends of short branchlets which are often clustered together to form large, loose heads; peduncles 5-6 mm long, minutely pubescent; bracts subapproximate, 3 mm long, slender, linear-spathulate. Sepals 3-4 mm long, linear or subspathulate-linear, the apex slightly widened by a foliaceous tip with inrolled margins, pubescent. Corolla 5-6 mm long, from narrow ovoid-urceolate to urceolate, mouth contracted, pubescent, white; lobes erect, small, obtuse, ciliolate. Filaments broad, tapering upwards; anthers included, 1.3 mm long, lateral, narrow-oblong, pale brown, appendiculate; pore about 1/2 the length of the cell; awns subulate about 1/2 the length of the cell. Ovary turbinate, hispid; style exserted; stigma capitate.