Nivenia inaequalis Goldblatt & J.C.Manning

Rounded evergreen shrubs, 400-800 mm high, branching from base. Stems ascending, with short spur-shoots in upper part, leafy portions ± 3 mm diam. Leaves crowded apically, narrowly lanceolate, (40-)55-90 x 2-3 mm. Inflorescence a compound, congested, false raceme, primary peduncle axis compressed, exserted (10-)15-30 mm from leaves, up to 20-flowered; secondary peduncles 3-4 mm long, bearing a shortly stalked, 2-flowered binate rhipidium subtended by a lanceolate-attenuate, keeled bract ± 17 mm long, dry and white-translucent with brown midline; spathes tightly enclosing binate rhipidia, lanceolate-attenuate, 13-15 mm long, dry and membranous, brown below and in midline, margins white-transparent; floral bracts open to base, 22-25 mm long, dry and silvery-translucent throughout, becoming torn apically. Flowers salver-shaped, heterostylous, blue, darker at tepal bases, white in throat and tube; perianth tube 30-40 mm long, slightly wider toward mouth; tepals elliptic-lanceolate, ± 18 x 5-6 mm, spreading. Filaments unequal, either two exserted 7-8 mm and one exserted ± 5 mm (thrum flower) or two exserted 3 mm and one included 1.5-2.5 mm (pin flower); anthers 1.0-1.5 mm long before anthesis, yellow; pollen yellow. Style either included 2-3 mm below mouth of tube (thrum flower) or exserted 6-8 mm, reaching 2-4 mm beyond anthers (pin flower); style branches rounded lobes 0.5 mm long. Capsules subglobose, ± 6 x 4.0-4.5 mm. Seeds 1 per locule, shield-shaped, rugose, ± 4.5 x 3.5 mm.