Hermannia comosa Burch. ex Dc.

Subherbaceous perennials, one to several stems arising from tap-root; stems branched at base; branches suberect to spreading-ascending, laxly subbranched, pubescent to tomentose with fine short appressed stellate hairs often intermixed with stalked, tufted hairs. Stipules narrowly deltoid, linear-lanceolate, lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, 3-6 mm long, 0-2.5 mm broad near the base, dorsally stellate-pubescent. Leaves petiolate; blade oblong to oblong-obovate, rarely oblong-elliptic, broadly cuneate to rounded at base, 1.5-5 cm long, 0.6-3.5 cm broad near base, pubescent with fine stellate hairs on both surfaces but more often densely so to tomentose underneath, sometimes partly glabrescent above, margins coarsely crenate to lobate-crenate or rarely entire; petiole densely stellate-pubescent to stellate-tomentose, often with tufted hairs intermixed. Inflorescence of usually 2-flowered cymes, 2-3 developing at the apices of branches and in axils of upper leaves; peduncles 5-20 mm long; pedicels 2-10 mm long; bracts subulate to linear-lanceolate, usually 3 at a node, sometimes 2 joined together, 2-5 mm long. Calyx inflated, white or ivory-coloured and some flowers suffused with shades of green, yellow or rose, about 9 mm long, depressed globose, 5-lobed almost to middle, with lobes incurved, pubescent on outside with short stellate hairs intermixed with longer, stalked, tufted hairs (the stalks sometimes up to 1.5 mm long). Petals twisted lemon-yellow, about 10 mm long, upper third oblong-orbicular, 2.5-4 mm broad narrowing into a claw 2 mm broad, lower two-thirds with infolded margins, sparsely to conspicuously dorsally pubescent with stellate and tufted hairs, especially along sides, glabrescent. Stamens 5 with hyaline, obovate-oblong filaments, 4 mm long, joined at base and sometimes adhering along margins to almost middle, pubescent on shoulders; anthers acute, about 4 mm long, ciliate. Ovary about 4 mm long, shallowly 5-lobed, stellate-tomentose, hairs fine and appressed or some, especially at apex, slightly longer and erect; styles cohering, about 6 mm long. Capsule enclosed in persistent calyx and petals, deeply 5-angled, angles produced for 2 mm beyond the style bases, rounded; seeds reniform, corrugated.