Shrubs to 1 m high, with raphides distinctly present on leaves, stipules, bracts, bracteoles, calyx, and corolla. Current year’s branches subquadrangular, glabrous, ?straw-yellow when dry; previous year’s branches with grayish white bark peeling off; old branches dark brown. Leaves opposite and sometimes in clusters on lateral short branches; petiole to 12 mm, grooved adaxially; blade subleathery, slightly shiny when dry, adaxially dark green, abaxially pale green, ovate to ovate-oblong, to 50 × 25 mm, glabrous on both surfaces, base obtuse, slightly decurrent to petiole, margins entire, slightly ciliate near apex, apex acute or shortly acuminate; midrib impressed adaxially when dry, lateral veins 3-6 pairs, slender, arcuate ascending, confluent along leaf margin, adaxially depressed or slightly impressed, abaxially prominent, veinlets abaxially conspicuous; stipules broadly triangular, apiculate. Inflorescences thyrsoid, borne on current year’s branches, terminal or rarely in axils of upper leaves; peduncle purplish brown, elongate, slightly angular when dry, slender or slightly stout; bracts leaflike to subulate. Flowers (1-)3-5 fascicled, terminal on ultimate branches of inflorescence; pedicels purplish brown, to 8 mm; bracteoles connate, membranous, ca. 3 mm, equal to or slightly longer than calyx, distinctly veined, with raphides; lobes 2, triangular, ca. 1.2 mm, slightly bilobed at apex. Calyx with hypanthium ca. 1.5 mm; tube ca. 0.3 mm; lobes 5, ovate-oblong, ca. 1.2 mm, white ciliate. Corolla white or pale purple, narrowly funnelform, ca. 12 mm; tube narrow, 9-10 mm, densely hairy at throat, with hairs becoming sparse toward base; lobes 5, ovate-triangular, ca. 3 mm, reticulately veined. Stamens 5, inserted at throat; filaments very short; anthers ca. 1.5 mm. Ovary 5-celled, each cell with 1 ovule, basal; style slender; stigma 5-lobed, lobes linear, slender, revolute, adaxially hairy. Fruit a capsule, ovoid, ca. 4 mm, septicidally dehiscing into 5 valves, 5-seeded; valves persistent, with persistent calyx lobes at apex; seeds black, ca. 2.5 mm; aril reticulate, free. Fl. Aug-Oct, fr. Oct-Nov.
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