Glabrous shrub to 4.5 m. high, with long thin often subpendent branches, rebranching mostly dichotomously.. Leaves subsessile or shortly petiolate, oblanceolate or obovate, to 12 × 3 cm., base cuneate tapering gradually to the base of the petiole, apex acute and markedly apiculate, margin entire, dark green and slightly fleshy.. Cymes in terminal 3–5-branched umbels, with (primary) rays to 3 cm. long, sometimes forking once only; bracts subcircular, 6–10 mm. long, apex obtuse to rounded, markedly apiculate.. Central cyathium of the umbel on a peduncle to 2 mm. long, the rest sessile to subsessile, 3 × 8 mm., with cup-shaped involucres; glands 4, or 5 on cyathia developing only ♂ flowers (usually the central one), subcircular to transversely elliptic, 1.5–2.5 mm. broad, outer margin rounded and entire to truncate and shallowly crenulate; involucral lobes subquadrate, 1.2 mm. long, apex deeply 2-lobed, lower margins shortly ciliate.. Male flowers: bracteoles fan-shaped, deeply divided, feathery; stamens 4 mm. long.. Female: styles 2.5 mm. long, joined at the base, with spreading very distinctly bifid slightly thickened apices.. Capsule exserted on a pedicel 6(–10) mm. long, deeply 3-lobed, 6 × 8 mm.. Seeds ovoid, 3.4 × 3 mm., grey, surface lightly ridged and wrinkled; caruncle 0.7 mm. across, cream.
Home