Nivenia argentea Goldblatt

Rounded shrubs up to 400 mm high, forming low cushions. Stem branching from base, branches ascending, compressed, leafy portions 2-4 mm diam. Leaves crowded apically, linear-lanceolate, (20-)40-80 x 1.5-3.5 mm. Inflorescence a congested, branched false raceme, up to 15-flowered, lateral branches short, 3-flowered, each node shortly stalked, with 1 flower within spathes; primary peduncle axis compressed, extending (10-)20-40 mm from leaf cluster, ultimate branches ± 2 mm long, subtended by lanceolate-attenuate, keeled, bracts 15-25 mm long, dry, brown with brown membranous margins; spathes tightly enclosing flower, lanceolate-attenuate, 13-18 mm long, dry and papery, brown below and in midline, margins and apices transparent-membranous; floral bracts tubular, 18-25 mm long, dry and membranous, usually silvery-transparent in upper 1/2-1/3, brown in lower 1/2-2/3, sometimes ± entirely shining brown, becoming torn apically. Flowers salver-shaped, heterostylous, deep blue, darker in centre, white in throat and tube; perianth tube 14-20(-25) mm long, widening gradually toward mouth; tepals oblong-oblanceolate, 13-18 x 4-6 mm, spreading. Filaments either 4-5 mm long (thrum flower) or 1.0-1.5 mm long (pin flower); anthers 1.0-1.5 mm long before anthesis, yellow; pollen yellow. Style either included 0.5-4.0 mm below mouth of tube (thrum flower) or exserted ± 7 mm, reaching ± 5 mm beyond anthers (pin flower), dividing into filiform branches ± 1.5 mm long. Capsules obovoid, ± 7 x 3.5-4.0 mm. Seeds unknown.