Erect to slightly spreading, rounded, many-stemmed, much-branched, rigid, spinescent shrubs, 0.2-0.6 m high and in diameter. Old stems grey to grey-black, displaying anomalous secondary growth, growing points sparsely felty, soon glabrous; dolichoblasts green-yellow, glandular, when older yellow-brown, glabrous, branches rigid. Leaves decussate, densely imbricate, in 4 rows, obtuse triangular to linear, those on dolichoblasts 2.3-6.2 mm long, those on brachyblasts 1.5-2.3 mm long, entire, shiny, bright green, often with red-purple tinge, initially sparsely felty, soon glabrous, with glands in cavities on leaf surface, adaxially proximally concave, distally flattened, abaxially semiterete, keeled, apex obtuse, base semi-amplexicaul. Capitula heterogamous disciform, mostly solitary on brachyblasts, sometimes racemose or umbellate-racemose, 2.3-2.6 mm long; peduncle 3-7 mm long, cylindrical, glabrous. Involucral bracts 4, broadly ovate, 2.5 x 2.5 mm, with thickened herbaceous central part and broad membranous margin, mostly red-purple, sometimes shiny green, glabrous, 2 slightly keeled bracts enveloping 2 flattened ones. Paleae: those of marginal florets free, mostly only 2,2.0-2.4 x 1.5 mm, keeled with central hardened part and membranous margin, apex fringed, abaxially long-lanate, hairs septate; those of disc florets 2.0-2.3 x 0.5 mm, membranous, flattened, narrowly ovate to narrowly lanceolate, margins fringed, abaxially lanate. Marginal female florets small, 2, white, 3.6-4.2 mm, lamina up to 2.2 mm long, strap-shaped, as long as to slightly longer than style branches. Style branches strap-shaped, apex acute. Ovary (and cypsela)oblong to ovoid, slightly flattened, long-lanate. Seed 1.4-2.0 mm long, lanceolate, slightly flattened. Disc florets 10-18, functionally male with sterile ovary, 2.5-3.2 mm long; corolla red-purple, trumpet-shaped to infundibuliform, 5-lobed. Stamens 5, exserted at maturity. Style unbranched, truncate, with sweeping hairs. Receptacle after anthesis densely white, long-pilose between involucral bracts and marginal paleae. Flowering time: July to October and February to March according to winter rainfall in the western parts and summer rainfall in the eastern parts of the distribution area.
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Shrub, 0.2-0.6 m high; many stemmed, spinescent. Leaves decussate, densely imbricate; blade obtuse triangular to linear, margins entire, initially sparsely felty, soon glabrous, shiny, bright green, often with red-purple tinge. Heads disciform, mostly solitary but sometimes racemose or umbellate-racemose, pedunculate. Involucral bracts 4, broadly ovate, with broad membranous margins, mostly red-purple, sometimes shiny green, glabrous. Receptacle with paleae of marginal florets free. Flowers: marginal female florets 2, white, with short strapshaped blade; disc florets 10-18, corolla trumpet-shaped to infundibuliform, red-purple; Oct.? (summer). Fruit with cypsela oblong to ovoid, slightly flattened, long-lanate. Pappus absent.
Many-stemmed, spinescent shrub, 0.2-0.6 m high. Leaves decussate, densely imbricate, obtuse triangular to linear, entire, initially sparsely felty, soon glabrous, shiny, bright green, often with red-purple tinge. Capitula disciform, mostly solitary but sometimes racemose or umbellate-racemose, pedunculate; involucral bracts 4, broadly ovate, with broad membranous margins, mostly red-purple, sometimes shiny green, glabrous. Receptacle paleate, all paleae free, hairy on outside. Outer female florets 2, white, with short strap-shaped lamina. Disc florets 10-18, trumpet-shaped to infundibuliform, red-purple. Flowering time Mar. Pappus absent. Cypselae oblong to ovoid, slightly flattened, long-lanate.
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