Gomphocarpus tomentosus Burch.

Shrubby perennial herb 0.5-1.5(-2) m; stems erect, branched, woody below, tomentose to lanate on young shoots, spreading-pubescent below. Leaves paired; petiole 1-5(-10) mm long; lamina 5-12 x 0.2-0.5(-0.7) cm, linear, tapering gently to an acute apex, margins smooth, weakly revolute, minutely pubescent on upper surface, tomentose beneath. Inflorescences extra-axillary with 3-6 flowers in a nodding umbel, peduncles 1-2 cm long, pubescent to lanate; bracts filiform, deciduous; pedicels 1-1.5 cm long, pubescent to lanate. Sepals 2-4 x 0.5-1.5 mm, triangular, acute to attenuate, tomentose to sublanate. Corolla reflexed, yellow-brown or green, frequently tinged pink and tomentose outside, glabrous or minutely pubescent within; lobes 5-7 x 3-4.5 mm, broadly ovate, acute. Corona lobes attached 0.5-1 mm above base of staminal column, laterally compressed, complicate, 2.5-4 x 1.5-3.5 mm, ± as tall as the column, narrowly to broadly D-shaped, margins fused only in lower, wider portion of lobe, entire except for minute folds or teeth by proximal end of upper margin, cavity without teeth or projections, lobes white or cream. Anther wings c.2 mm long, ± linear or narrowly triangular, curved slightly towards base. Corpusculum c.0.3 x 0.2 mm, broadly ovoid, dark brown; translator arms c.0.2-0.3 mm long, flattened and geniculate; pollinia c.1.4-1.5 x 0.4 mm, flattened, ± oblong in outline. Stigma head flat. Fruiting pedicel contorted to hold follicle erect; follicles ovoid, tapering gradually into a long-attenuate beak, or subglobose, shortly tomentose at least when young and with lines of pubescent filiform processes 6-10 mm long. Seeds c.5 x 2 mm, ovate with one strongly convex and one concave face, verrucose; coma c.3 cm long.