Manulea paniculata Benth.

Coarse perennial herb branching from the base, stems to 1 m tall, 5-7 mm diam. near base, soon branching into a large leafy panicle, pubescent with patent eglandular hairs to 0.4-0.6 mm long, much shorter gland-tipped ones as well. Leaves opposite, bases connate, becoming alternate only on the upper inflorescence branches, c. 20-85 x 8-43 mm, smaller on the inflorescence, elliptic, subacute, base narrowed but scarcely petiolar, margins closely serrate or crenate-serrate, both surfaces pubescent, hairs mostly gland-tipped. Flowers many, in narrow thyrses composed of dichasial cymules further arranged in a large spreading panicle terminating each stem, leafy in its lower part. Bracts c. 3-7 x 0.7-1.2 mm, linear, but the thyrses in the axils of the upper leaves, which pass progressively into bracts. Pedicels (and peduncles of cymules) very short. Calyx obscurely bilabiate, tube 0.3-0.5 mm long, anticous lobes 2-3.7 x 0.4-0.5 mm, anticous lip split 1.75-3.2 mm, posticous lobes 2.4-3.4 x 0.4-0.6 mm, posticous lip split 2-3.2 mm, all lobes lanceolate, pubescent on backs and margins, hairs to 0.3-0.5 mm, both glandular and eglandular. Corolla tube 6-7 x 1.25-1.5 mm in throat, cylindric, inflated near apex, limb bilabiate, 5-6.5 mm across the lateral lobes, posticous lobes 1.8-2.5 x 1.3-1.75 mm, anticous lobe 2-2.75 x 1.1-1.6 mm, all ± elliptic, white or creamy, yellow at base of posticous lip and down back of tube, tube and lobes pubescent outside, hairs to 0.2 mm, mainly eglandular, inside a short posticous band of clavate hairs, 4 lesser bands in anticous position. Stamens 4, anticous anthers 0.4-0.6 mm long, very shortly exserted, posticous anthers 0.8-1.2 mm long, included, posticous filaments bearded. Stigma 3.5-5 mm long, very shortly exserted or just included. Style 0.5-1.3 mm long. Ovary 1-1.5 x 0.6-1 mm. Capsules c. 3.5-5.5 x 2-3 mm. Seeds c. 0.75-0.8 x 0.4 mm, pallid. Flowering principally in February and March.