Erica rusticula E.G.H.Oliv.

Shrub compact rounded, 100-150(-300) x 100-300 mm, erect to semi-spreading, single-stemmed reseeder. Branches: numerous main branches of short growth 10-15 mm long, terminating in an inflorescence or continuing vegetative growth, each with 2-5 short, recurved secondary branchlets, 2-10 mm long, not from each node, internodes very short, ± 1 mm or less, all covered with dense, very short, white reflexed hairs. Leaves 3-nate, imbricate, ± 1.6-2.0 x 1.0 mm, adpressed, elliptic, subacute, adaxially shortly hairy and flattened, abaxially glabrous and rounded, margins shortly ciliate when young, sulcus narrow and closed at base; petiole adpressed, ± 0.4 mm long, glabrous, shortly ciliate. Inflorescence: flowers 3(6)-nate in 1(2) whorls at ends of main and secondary branches, nodding, umbel-like when 2-whorled; pedicel 0.3 mm long, glabrous, pinkish red; bract partially recaulescent and approximate to calyx, ± 1.0 x 0.5 mm, elliptic to oblong, subacute, pale pink to pink and sometimes green-tipped, glabrous, margins shortly ciliate and with a few subsessile, dark red non-sticky glands towards apex, sulcus small, narrow; bracteoles 2 approximate and adpressed to calyx, otherwise like the bract. Calyx 4-lobed; ± 1.5 x 2.2 mm, shortly and broadly funnel-shaped, hard and wax-like, pink; tube ± 1 mm long; lobes adpressed to corolla, ± 0.8 x 1.0 mm, broadly elliptic, subacute, sulcus 0.2-0.3 mm long, narrow. Corolla 4-lobed, 2.5 x 2.5-3.5 mm, shortly and widely funnel-shaped, glabrous, pink, with thin semi-transparent broad tube 1 mm long; lobes semi-spreading, ± 1.5 x 2.0 mm, broadly ovate, rounded or subacute, margins entire, with sessile, dry, dark-red glands and short reflexed hairs. Stamens 4, subexserted, free; filament broad ± 2.5 x 0.5 mm, oblong, straight to slightly curved apically, glabrous, white; anthers bilobed, ± 0.8 x 0.7 mm, obovate in outline in adaxial view, dorsally attached near base, minutely appendiculate, spurs very small, ± 0.1-0.3 mm long; thecae ± 0.8 x 0.35 mm, ovate in lateral view, erect, with a few papillae, otherwise glabrous, almost black; pollen in monads. Ovary 2-locular, ± 0.7 x 0.6 mm, ovoid, complanate, obtuse, upper three quarters covered with dense straight long hairs, lower quarter glabrous, septum very thin and fragile, nectaries absent; ovules 1 per locule, pendulous from a subapical placenta; style exserted, ± 5 mm long, filiform, curved, glabrous, reddish pink; stigma simple-truncate to slightly widened. Fruit indehiscent, 1.2 x 2.0 mm, ovoid, pericarp very thin and papery with exocarp thin, mesocarp composed only of numerous crystals and endocarp thin and brown. Seed one per fruit, ± 1.2 x 1.8 mm, ovoid, testa thin, very shallowly reticulate, yellow-brown; cells 25-50 x 75-100 µm, irregularly elongate with slightly thickened jigsaw-like anticlinal walls, numerous small pits in inner periclinal walls. Flowering time: April and May.