Glabrous perennial herb to 30 cm. high, with a thick tap-root merging into a swollen ± succulent tuberculate or occasionally smooth stem to 8 cm. high and 4 cm. thick; branches radiating from the stem apex to 8 cm. long, tuberculate or smooth and ± succulent, sometimes with further thinner branches at the apices in groups of 3–6.. Leaves subpetiolate to petiolate from the apices of the tubercles, linear-lanceolate to 50 × 8 mm., base cuneate, apex acute and minutely apiculate, margin entire; petiole to 1 cm. long; glandular stipules minutely filamentous and apparent only on young growth.. Cymes clustered 2–6 at the apices of the branches, with primary rays to 6 cm. long, forking up to 5 times often trichotomously, semi-persistent; bracts sessile, the uppermost ovate ± 10 × 5 mm., base rounded, apex acute, the lower ones progressively larger and more similar to the leaves.. Cyathia on peduncles 1–1.5 mm. long, ± 3 × 2.5 mm., with funnel-shaped involucres; glands 2, subquadrate, ± 2.5 × 2.5 mm., the outer margin shallowly crenulate, the lateral margins curled inwards and joined at the base to form an erect tube; lobes ± 1.8 × 1 mm., the upper margin deeply and finely toothed to almost halfway.. Male flowers few: bracteoles ligulate, deeply divided; stamens to 6 mm. long.. Female flower: styles ± 2.7 mm. long, joined almost to the minutely bifid tips.. Capsule exserted on a pedicel to 9 mm. long, deeply 3-lobed with truncate base, ± 4.5 × 6 mm.. Seeds obtusely trigonous-conical with truncate base, acute apex and 2 shallow horizontal constrictions, ± 3 × 2.5 mm., black to greyish brown with a speckled roughened surface.
Home