Nenax namaquensis Puff

Dwarf shrub, intricately branched, ± rounded to spreading, c. 0.15-0.6 m tall; often ± cushion-forming if browsed. Stems often much branched; branching irregular, branches mostly single at nodes, spine-tipped if browsed. Leaves decussate; blades ascending to ± spreading, often slightly curved, 2.5-4.5(-6) x 0.9-1.4 mm, narrowly ovate-lanceolate to linear-lanceolate, shallowly concave above and convex below to ± triangular in section, glabrous except for papillate margins, fresh green. Flowers single (rarely paired) at nodes, sometimes also terminal and overtopped by lateral shoots arising below; corolla 5-merous (in ('male') very rarely, in ('female') occasionally also 4-merous), yellowish, reddish tinged outside, ('male'): tube 1-2.1 mm long, funnel-shaped or occasionally ± cylindrical, lobes 2.4-3.4 x 0.7-1 mm; anthers 1.5-2.2 mm long; rudimentary ovary often with conspicuous calyx lobes ('female'): tube 0.2-0.4(-0.7) mm long, lobes 0.4-0.7(-1.2) x 0.1-0.2(-0.3) mm; stigmas 1.4-2.4 mm long; ovary 1-1.2 x 0.8-1 mm, with 5 small calyx lobes. Fruit dehiscent, supported by a sometimes large U-shaped carpophore or (seldom) carpophore ± absent, dark reddish brown; mericarps 2.1-2.6 x 1-1.4 mm, ± obovate, glabrous or sparsely to densely papillate, with 3 or 2 ± triangular calyx lobes c. 0.4-0.7 x 0.4-0.7 mm.