Erica platycalyx E.G.H.Oliv.

Low compact to semi-spreading shrublet up to 300 mm tall, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: numerous erect main branches continuing growth, or terminating in an inflorescence, with numerous lateral short flowering branchlets up to 10 mm long, young branches puberulous with retrorse hairs, no infrafoliar ridges. Leaves 3-nate, erect to spreading, 1.5-3.5 x 0.4 mm, lanceolate to oblong, adaxial surface flat, abaxial surface rounded narrowly sulcate, margins acute-angled but obtuse towards the apex, apex obtuse, glabrous, margins with a few minute sessile glands when young; petiole adpressed, 0.5 mm long, glabrous, margins with sessile glands. Inflorescence: flowers 3-nate in 1-2 whorls, when 2 then umbel-like, terminal on main branches and lateral branchlets; pedicel 2-3 mm long, glabrous, red; bract recaulescent about 2/3 way up pedicel, 0.6-0.9 x 0.2 mm, obovate to oblong, from fully to slightly sulcate, leaf-like to bracteose, margins with a few sessile glands and short hairs, glabrous, green to red; bracteoles 2, placed just above the bract, from equal to 1/2 the length of bract, mostly esulcate. Calyx 4-lobed, broadly cyathiform to flat to reflexed, when cyathiform then 0.7 x 0.3 mm, glabrous; lobes 1/2 length of calyx, imbricate laterally or not, interstices acute to rounded, widely obovate to transversely oblong, subacute, narrowly sulcate, edges smooth to slightly serrate, sometimes with an apical sessile gland. Corolla 4-lobed, 4.0-5.0 x 2.0-4.0 mm, globose-urceolate to ovoid to tubular-ovoid, contracted at the mouth, smooth, rather tough not delicate, pink; lobes erect, 1.0 x 0.4 mm, rounded. Stamens 8-6(5)[4], free, exserted or sometimes just manifest; filaments about as long as corolla, linear, straight, glabrous, dark and aculeate towards the apex; anthers dorsifixed near the base, broadly obovate to oblong, dark brown, muticous; thecae erect, 0.5-0.7 x 0.2-0.3 mm, ovate to ellipsoid, aculeate all over; pore 1/4-1/3 length of theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 2-or 3-locular, 0.5-0.8 x 0.5 mm, broadly ovoid, with 2 or 3 ovoid semi-pendulous cordate-based lobes, apex obtuse to subemarginate, villous all over to sparsely villous on lobes only, stipitate, with very prominent villous lobed nectary at base; stipe 0.1-0.2 mm long elongating to 0.6 mm long in fruit, glabrous; ovules 1 per locule, pendulous, placenta apical; style exserted, up to 1.5x as long as the corolla, terete, glabrous; stigma minutely capitate. Fruits partially dehiscent, 2x the size of the ovary, lobes when fertile much enlarged and partially splitting down the suture due to expansion of seed; pericarp thin, paper-like, endocarp just visible, a few crystals present; seeds ovoid-ellipsoid, testa thin, slightly reticulate, yellow, cells elongate-oblong, with slightly undulate anticlinal walls, with pits, ridged across the width.