Lachnaea axillaris Meisn.

Erect, much-branched, compact shrub up to 0.75 m tall, multistemmed at base; resprouter. Branches erect to flexuous and interlacing, filiform, ± terete, internodes ± as long as leaves, sericeous or sericeous-tomentose, leafy, becoming puberulent and naked without prominent leaf scars. Leaves decussate with distal 2 pairs of leaves sometimes subverticillate, ascending, distant, sessile, epistomatic, narrowly ovate to lanceolate, 2-4 x 0.8-1.2 mm, fleshy, glabrous; adaxially flat, smooth, dull, ± white-punctate; abaxially convex, subkeeled towards apex, glossy; apex mucronate; base obtuse. Inflorescence terminal, 1-flowered, but may appear axillary when much reduced, lateral branches comprise only one pair of leaves and a single flower, sericeous to sericeous-tomentose at floral articulation. Flowers sessile, subactinomorphic, cream, pink or dark pink. Hypanthium 1.4-2.2 mm long, circumscissile 0.5-0.67 from base; upper portion cup-shaped with a basal invagination; basal portion ovoid to broadly ovoid, glabrous outside, glabrous inside but barbate above circumscission zone in vicinity of floral scales. Sepals erect-spreading, subequal, 2 outer ones elliptic, ovate to broadly ovate, 1.6-2.6 x 0.8-1.5 mm, acute, adaxially glabrous or near apex puberulent or ciliolate, abaxially glabrous, 2 inner ones elliptic, obovate to broadly obovate, acute to obtuse, 1.4-2.3 x 1.0-1.8 mm, adaxially glabrous becoming puberulent near apex, abaxially glabrous. Stamens exserted, outer, antesepalous whorl arising at base of sepals, inner, antepetalous whorl arising at mouth of hypanthium; filaments 0.4-0.8 mm long, inner whorl shorter or as long as outer whorl; anthers widely ellipsoid to spheroid, 0.4-0.5 mm long, dorsally with broad connective tissue. Floral scales arising just above circumscission zone immediately below antepetalous stamens, partially concealed by stiff hairs in throat of hypanthium, subrotund, 0.2-0.4 mm long, glabrous. Ovary narrowly ellipsoid to ellipsoid, 1.0-1.3 mm long, glabrous. Style terete-obconical, 0.8-1.6 mm long, glabrous. Stigma capitate and papillate.