Erica recurvifolia E.G.H.Oliv.

Sprawling to semi-erect shrublets to 300 mm tall, single-stemmed. Branches: few flowering main branches with few spreading flowering secondary branches 10-30 mm long with occasionally very short tertiary branches 0.2-0.5 mm long; varying from puberulous to puberulous with long stouter reflexed glandular or slightly forked hairs, the forks very small and apical only, or short-stalked glandular hairs and spreading long glandular hairs. Leaves 3-nate, spreading to strongly recurved, 1.0-2.0 x 0.6-1.0 mm, broad-ovate to broad-elliptic, adaxially rounded at apex and flattened at base, abaxially rounded and narrow-sulcate, margin rounded at apex acute at base, apex acute, minutely puberulous and occasionally with sessile glands adaxially at apex, glabrous abaxially, edged with a few long gland-tipped and/or minutely forked and/or simple stout hairs; petiole adpressed, 0.2-0.4 mm long, ciliolate. Inflorescence with flowers 3-nate in 1 or 2(3) whorls, umbel-like nodding heads terminally on main, secondary and tertiary branches; pedicel 0.6-2.0 mm long, pubesent with recurved hairs occasionally interspersed with long stout white hairs, simple, forked or gland-tipped; bract partially recaulescent, subapproximate to approximate to calyx, erect or subspreading-recurved, up to 1.7 x 0.9 mm, lanceolate, apex acute, subopen-backed with the sulcus 1/2-3/4 the bract, flattened, green to dark red, basally pubescent and ciliate, with long stiff hairs mainly towards and on margins, hairs simple or gland-tipped; bracteoles 2, approximate, narrow-lanceolate, otherwise like bract. Calyx 4-lobed, 2.0-2.3 mm long; lobes 2/3-3/4 the calyx, lanceolate to ovate, apex attenuated acute, sulcus subopen-backed as long as lobe, green to dark red, with or without minute pubescence, with short-stalked glands towards margins and along outer upper edge of adaxial surface, with numerous long stout hairs on margin, abaxial surface and sometimes in sulcus, these hairs simple or gland-tipped. Corolla 4-lobed, 3.5 x 3.0 mm, obconical to campanulate, obscurely to markedly 4-angled, white rarely pinkish, glabrous or pubescent on lobes, smooth; lobes erect or slightly spreading, broad, 1/5-1/4 the corolla, rounded or acute, margins entire or fimbriate. Stamens 8, free, included; filaments ±1.2 mm long, linear above broadening in lower half with narrow base, flat, glabrous, with marked sigmoid bend below anther; anther almost bipartite, lanceolate, spurred, yellow to golden brown; thecae erect, approximate, 0.6 mm long, lanceolate, minutely aculeate, thin walled and delicate; spurs attached dorsally 1/4 from base of thecae, 2/3 as long as the thecae, narrow-oblong, rarely with side tooth, aculeate; pore very small, 1/8 length of theca; pollen in monads. Ovary 2-locular, 0.5 x 0.5 mm, broadly ellipsoid, apex subacute, sparsely to densely pubescent apically, with distinct basal nectaries; ovules 1 per locule, pendulous, placenta apical; style as long as or just longer than the corolla, filiform, glabrous; stigma minute, simple-truncate to slightly cyathiform. Fruit indehiscent, protected by calyx (the tubular portion becoming swollen and hard), 1.2 x 1.0 mm, ellipsoid, colliculate, brownish red; pericarp thin and brittle, exocarp thin with slightly thick cuticle, mesocarp thin, red, with many crystals, endocarp thin, very slightly thickened, 1-layered; seed ellipsoid with very thin testa, cells elongate with slightly undulate anticlinal walls, no pits present.