Erica rigidula (N.E.Br.) E.G.H.Oliv.

Shrub variable in stature, low compact to semi spreading, about 0.25 m tall, to erect fastigiate mostly 0.5 m tall rarely up to 2 m, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: numerous long spreading to erect main branches continuing vegetative growth or terminating in an inflorescence with numerous subspreading to spreading short flowering secondary and tertiary branchlets usually 1-10 mm long, all pubescent when young and, when older, with longer stout gland-tipped or plumose hairs, rarely gland-tipped plumose hairs. Leaves 3-nate, erect imbricate to spreading to spreading recurved, variable in size, 1.5-3.0 x 0.5-0.8 mm, oblong to ovate, adaxially flattened or obtuse, abaxially obtuse and narrowly sulcate, acute-angular sometimes obtuse-angular, apex obtuse to subacute, glabrous or pubescent, usually with a few long gland-tipped or plumose hairs on the margins and apex, occasionally these scattered on abaxial surface as well; petiole adpressed, 0.2 mm long, glabrous to puberulous. Inflorescence: flowers 3-nate in 1(2) whorls, when 2 whorls then umbel-like, terminal on secondary and tertiary branchlets occasionally on main branches; pedicel 0.05-0.3 mm, pubescent occasionally glabrous; bract fully recaulescent as the abaxial lobe of calyx; bracteoles 2, fully recaulescent as the lateral lobes of calyx. Calyx 4-lobed, unequal, 0.8-1.0 x 1.0-1.2 mm, cyathiform to obconic, 1/2-2/3 as long as corolla occasionally equal, pubescent or glabrescent, rarely glabrous, yellow-green; lobes, the abaxial equal to or longer than others, laterally imbricate or not, joined at same level or lower, all lobes ovate to triangular, 1/3-2/3 the calyx, sub-narrowly sulcate for 1/2-2/3 their length, ciliate with simple hairs and with a long stout gland-tipped apical hair and sometimes with lateral stout gland-tipped and/or plumose hairs. Corolla [3]4-lobed, 1.0-1.4 x 1.0-1.2 mm, cyathiform to obovoid, glabrous or pubescent sometimes only on lobes, yellow-green to red; lobes erect to slightly incurved, 1/4 length of corolla, broadly triangular, acute to broadly obtuse, erose or ciliolate. Stamens [3]4, manifest, becoming exserted and forming a ring around the style between the fruit and stigma; filaments completely fused into a tube ±0.5 mm long, thin, semitransparent, glabrous straight-sided; anthers laterally fused in lower 1/2, dorsifixed near base, bilobed, subquadrate, muticous; thecae 0.5-0.8 mm long, elliptic to obovate, basally rounded or with small to large projections, with a distinct pore in the partition between the 2 thecae, glabrous, usually rough with large collapsed cells, rarely with apical or basal papillae; pore 1/2-3/4 the theca; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 1 or 2[3]-locular, 0.4-0.6 x 0.3 mm, ovoid to ellipsoid, apex acute merging with the style, glabrous, usually with a puberulous apex, no nectaries; ovule 1 per locule, pendulous, placenta apical; style 0.3-1.8 mm long, narrowly cylindric, puberulous fully or just at base, rarely glabrous; stigma manifest to far exserted up to 2x as long as corolla, 0.3-0.6 mm wide, broadly cyathiform to broadly obconic, becoming peltate with age or with edges curved inwards, glabrous. Fruit indehiscent, 1.2 x 0.8-1.2 mm, broadly ellipsoid with a small apical beak, apex acute to obtuse depending on number of locules; pericarp very hard and woody, red, mesocarp thin with few crystals, endocarp thick, much lignified; seeds very soft with testa very thin, the cells elongate with straight to slightly undulate radial walls, pits present only in apical and basal slightly lignified cells.