Home
Leaf-lamina 2·5–11 x 1·2–4·5 cm., ovate, ovate-lanceolate to lanceolate, ± acute at the apex, contracted and roundish at the base, rigid or rarely membranous, ± discolorous, sparsely appressed-strigose on both faces, the bristles longer and denser on the nerves beneath, longitudinally 3–5-nerved, the longitudinal nerves impressed above, rather prominent beneath, the transverse ones usually inconspicuous on both faces; petiole 0·4–1·2 cm. long, densely appressed-setose.
Flowers 1–2(3) at the apex of the branches and solitary in the upper axils, shortly pedunculate or subsessile; outer bracts foliaceous, oblanceolate, densely setose, the inner oblong or obovate, truncate or acute, scarious, glabrous, closely sheathing the receptacle.
Stamens unequal (subequal and all with yellow anthers in the frequent osbeckioid forms), the longer with purple anthers 7–9 mm. long and pedoconnective c. 5–6 mm. long, the shorter with yellow anthers 5–7(8) mm. long and a pedoconnective c. 1 mm. long.
Branches cylindric at the base, 4-gonous and furrowed towards the apex, shortly appressed-setose; nodes slightly thickened, long-setose; intemodes generally rather short (1·1–3·5 cm. long), occasionally longer (up to 10 cm.).
Corolla 2–3 cm. in diameter; 20 x 16 mm., petals broadly obovate, mauve-pink to purple.
Receptacle c. 8 x 4 mm., cylindric, green, surrounded by bristles at the base.
Sepals 6–7 x 2·5–3 mm., oblong, acute, ciliate; intersepalar segments 0.
Fructiferous receptacle 10–13 x 6–8 mm., ovoid, purplish at the apex.
Seeds c. 0·75 mm. long, minutely tuberculate, brownish.
An erect much-branched shrub up to 2 m. high.
