Hermannia denudata L.F.

Shrub virgate, 60 cm-2 m tall, vegetative parts totally glabrous or (var. erecta) at first rough with minute, fringed scales, occasionally intermixed with longer, fascicled hairs, glabrescent in parts. Stipules narrowly lanceolate-acuminate to ovate-acute, broad-based, sometimes oblique at base, from 3.5 to 17 mm long, 0.5 to 6 mm broad near base, several-nerved, glabrous or pubescent with fascicled hairs, sometimes glabrescent except on margins. Leaves shortly petiolate, suberect; blade of mature leaves (often many small leaves present on young shoots) lanceolate to more or less oblong, cuneate at base, coarsely dentate in upper half, from about 13 to 65 mm long, 5 to 14 mm broad, glabrous or with stellate or grouped hairs from a glandular base, glabrescent in part, apex acute, midrib prominent beneath; petiole 2-6 mm long. Inflorescence of 1-to 3-flowered cymes terminal and in axils of upper reduced leaves of ultimate branches; bracts like much reduced leaves and stipules, linear to subulate. Calyx glabrous or rough with minute, fringed scales, campanulate, about 4-6 mm long, 5-lobed to midway or almost midway. Petals yellow to red and yellow, about 8 mm long, ovate-oblong in upper third, narrowed into a waist and produced below into a claw with inrolled margins. Stamens 4.5 to 5.5 mm long; filaments hyaline, obovate-cuneate, overlapped by anther bases. Ovary about 2.5 mm long, 5-angled, glabrous or stellate-tomentose. Capsule exserted from persistent calyx, up to 7 mm long, 5-angled with rounded umbos.