Erica paucifolia (J.C.Wendl.) E.G.H.Oliv.

Low somewhat sparse to compact, delicate shrublets up to 250 mm tall, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: numerous wiry slender main branches with numerous very short lateral branchlets ±5 mm long at most nodes towards ends of branches, hirsute with erect hairs, soon glabrescent, no infrafoliar ridges. Leaves 3-nate, straight semi-spreading to spreading or recurved, shorter than internodes, 2.0-2.5 x 0.5 mm, ellipsoid to oblong, flat to slightly rounded adaxially, very rounded abaxially and obtuse angular, obtuse to subacute, narrowly to slightly open but deeply sulcate, younger hirsute becoming glabrescent with apical tuft, occasionally edged with a few sessile glands; petiole adpressed, 0.5 mm long, glabrous or slightly hirsute, long ciliate. Inflorescence: flowers 3-nate in 1-1 whorls, umbel-like with spreading flowers, terminal on main branches and lateral branchlets; pedicel very short, 0.1 mm long, hirsute; bract partially recaulescent, from basal to middle in position, sometimes subapproximate to calyx, 0.5-2.5 x 0.2 mm, oblong to elongate deltoid in shortest forms, mostly bracteose, sometimes leaf-like in lowest whorl, slightly reducing in upper whorls, sulcate tipped to non-sulcate, glabrous and long ciliate, sometimes also pubescent; bracteoles 2, basal to subapproximate, like bract but slightly smaller. Calyx 4-lobed, 1.8-2.3 x 1.5-2.0 mm, broadly funnel-shaped to obconical, tube 4-angled with angles opposite the lobes or 8-angled, all angles obtuse, from glabrescent with puberulous patch between angles to long villous, green to reddish; lobes incurved 1/4-1/3 the length of the calyx, deltoid, obtuse to acute, thicker than the tube, glabrous to hirsute, long ciliate, sometimes with a row of large sessile glands around margin adaxially. Corolla 4-lobed, 3.0-4.5 x 1.0-1.3 mm, narrowly obovoid and narrowed within calyx, tuberculate-colliculate sometimes only slightly so, sometimes viscid, lobes erect, 0.3 mm long, deltoid, acute, entire. Stamens 4, free, far exserted; fdaments up to 2x the length of corolla, broadly linear-oblong, aculeate apically; anthers dorsally fixed near base, 1.0-1.2 x 0.5 mm, elliptic, muticous, reddi brown; thecae 0.2 mm wide, oblong subfalcate, aculeate edged laterally, pore 1/2-4/5 the length of theca; pollen in monads. Ovary 1-locular, 0.5-0.8 mm long, ellipsoid acute, slightly asymmetrical, glabrous, with large basal nectaries; ovule 1, pendulous, placenta apical; style far exserted, 6-7 mm long, glabrous; stigma simple truncate. Fruit indehiscent, 0.9 mm long, ellipsoid; pericarp very thin, papery, endocarp very thin just visible with much reduced elongate cells, crystals present; seeds ellipsoid, testa very thin transparent, cells elongate with jigsawed anticlinal walls, with no pits.