Eriocephalus capitellatus Dc.

Slender, erect, small, conical shrubs, 0.25-1.2 m high. Old stems grey to grey-brown, 4 mm in diameter; dolichoblasts red-brown, barely 0.5 mm in diameter, growing points green-brown. Leaves mostly alternate or rarely opposite, mostly palmatisect to pinnatisect, but sometimes entire, 4.0-7.5 mm long, 0.4-0.6 mm in diameter, basally adaxially slightly concave, abaxially convex, blue-green to grey-green, indumentum delicately sericeous with underlying felted layer and extending down to leaf base, those on dolichoblasts and brachyblasts of the same length; lobes linear, cylindrical to clavate, apex obtuse to slightly acute. Capitula heterogamous radiate, small, barely 2 mm long, in terminal spike or spicate-racemose; peduncles 0.3-0.5 mm long. Involucral bracts 4 or 5, oval to ovate, 1.7 x 1.0 mm, slightly keeled to flattened, with central green part and broad membranous margin, finely appressed sericeous. Paleae: those of marginal florets connate forming cylindrical sheath, membranous, up to 1.3 mm long, margins strongly fringed, abaxially long and densely lanate, hairs septate; those of central florets small, barely 0.6 mm long, transparent membranous, margins fringed, abaxially long-Ianate. Ray florets 1 or 2 (or 3), up to 2.2 mm long with up to 1.2 mm long, white, strap-shaped to cuneate, 3-lobed lamina. Style branches strap-shaped, apex acute, up to 0.6 mm long. Ovary (and cypsela) oblong, flattish, trigonous, long-Ianate. Seed 1.5-2.1 mm long, ovoid, slightly flattened. Disc florets 1-4(-13), functionally male with sterile ovary, up to 1.6 mm long; corolla infundibuliform, creamy white with red-purple tint, 5-lobed. Stamens 5. Style undivided, apex globose. Receptacle after anthesis with sparse white, long-hairy indumentum between involucral bracts and connate marginal paleae. Flowering and fruiting time: April to September (winter-rainfall area), February to May (summer-rainfall area).