Manulea caledonica Hilliard

Perennial herb, taproot stout, woody, up to c. 10 mm diam. at the crown, stems c. 150-750 mm long, erect or decumbent, solitary and simple at first, soon several from the base and often branching there and above, pubescent at least in lower part, hairs often becoming much sparser on the inflorescence axis and sometimes glabrous there, hairs mostly up to 0.1-0.4 mm long (rarely to c. 0.75 mm), mixed balloon-and gland-tipped, balloon-tipped sometimes dominant on upper parts, either leafy throughout or sometimes only near base. Leaves opposite, bases connate, sometimes becoming alternate above and passing into bracts, ±15-70 x 2-10 mm, narrowly oblanceolate, apex subacute, base narrowed and petiole-like, margins usually toothed, occasionally subentire in small uppermost leaves, both surfaces pubescent with both balloon-tipped and gland-tipped hairs up to 0.2-0.4 mm long (rarely to c. 0.75 mm). Flowers many in a long narrow thyrse, this often becoming paniculate through branching of the upper stem or the main inflorescence axis, or both, lower flowers often solitary in the bract axils, thereafter in either c. 2-25-flowered cymules, usually monochasial, sometimes dichasial and then often with only one branch well developed. Bracts (subtending lowermost flower or cymule) c. 2-14 x 0.5-1 mm, or cymules in axils of uppermost, reduced, leaves. Peduncles (of lowermost cymule or pedicel of flower) c. 2-10 mm long (rarely longer), pedicels very short or flowers sessile. Calyx obscurely bilabiate, tube 0.2-0.5 mm long, lobes 1.4-2.7 x 0.4-0.8 mm, subspathulate, tips somewhat thickened, margins glandular-puberulous, a few small balloon-tipped and gland-tipped hairs usually present as well, 0.1-0.3 mm long. Corolla tube c. 7-10 x 0.8-1.3 mm in throat, cylindric, inflated near apex, limb bilabiate, 5-7 mm across lateral lobes, posticous lobes 2.2-3.8 x 1-2.5 mm, anticous lobes 2.1-3.5 x 1-2 mm, all elliptic, margins more or less revolute, reddish brown to orange or orange-yellow, pubescent outside with balloon-tipped hairs, these sometimes confined to inflated part of tube, inside with 3 or 4 well developed longitudinal bands of clavate hairs in throat. Stamens 4, anticous anthers 0.3-0.5 mm long, just included, posticous anthers 0.6-1 mm long, included, posticous filaments well-bearded. Stigma 0.8-1.8 mm long, shorter than style. Style 1.5-2.4 mm long. Ovary 1.2-1.8 x 0.5-1 mm, conical. Capsules c. 3-5 x 2-3 mm. Seeds c. 0.5-0.6 x 0.3 mm, violet-blue or pallid.