Erica rimarum E.G.H.Oliv.

Shrub compact, gnarled and twiggy, 40-100 mm tall, single-stemmed, stem very old and woody. Branches: many main branches ± 10 mm long, erect or recurved, mostly terminating in an inflorescence, occasional secondary branchlets up to 5 mm long, all glabrous. Leaves 2-nate, imbricate, ± 3.0 x 0.7 mm, erect, lanceolate-oblong, adaxially concave, abaxially rounded, with acute margins, glabrous, with a few non-sticky short-stalked glands on basal margins and petiole, apex yellow-cuspidate, sulcus very narrow and closed at base; petiole adpressed, ± 0.5 mm long, glabrous. Inflorescence: flowers 2-nate in one whorl at ends of main branches; pedicel ± 2.0 mm long, curved at base, glabrous, reddish; bract partially recaulescent, about one third up pedicel, ± 2.0 x 0.6 mm, lanceolate, acute, glabrous, maroon, margin in lower half with sessile or very short-stalked, non-sticky, dark red glands, sulcus narrow, about one third its length; bracteoles 2, attached about two thirds up pedicel, similar to bract. Calyx 4-partite, maroon; segments adpressed to corolla, imbricate, ± 2.5 x 1.1 mm, ovate, acute, glabrous, margins with small, sessile or short-stalked, non-sticky, dark red glands, mainly in lower half, sulcus narrow, about one third length of segment. Corolla 4-lobed, ± 3.0 x 2.5 mm, cyathiform, maroon, thick in texture, glabrous; lobes 1.5 x 1.0 mm, rounded, entire, erect. Stamens 8, included, free; filament ± 1.1 x 0.2 mm, broadened towards base, with small apical sigmoid bend below anther, glabrous, white; anthers ovate in adaxial view, bilobed, dorsally attached, appendiculate, spurs pendulous, ± 0.5 x 0.1 mm [as long as theca], serrate and finely ciliate; thecae ± 0.5 x 0.4 mm, broadly elliptic-rhombic in lateral view, dark brown, glabrous; pollen in tetrads. Ovary 4-locular, ± 0.9 x 1.0 mm, broadly ovoid, emarginate, with well-developed nectaries around base, glabrous; ovules ± 15 per locule, spreading from placenta, central on axis; style included, 1.1. mm long, broadly cylindical, tapering towards base; stigma capitate. Fruit a dehiscent capsule, valves splitting about 70% with septa on valves only and free from columella. Seed ± 0.5 x 0.3 mm, unequally ellipsoid with flat and rounded sides, light brownish orange, shallowly reticulate; testa thin, cells elongate, ± 100 x 30 µm, irregularly elliptic, with slightly raised, jigsawed anticlinal walls and densely pitted, inner periclinal wall.