Dwarf succulent forming dense clump 60-120 mm tall and 20-60 mm broad, not rhizomatous. Stems 20-60 mm long, 5-10 mm thick (excluding teeth), ascending to erect, green marked with brown to purple patches and lines; tubercles 4-7 mm long, arranged into 4 obtuse rows along stem with groove between rows, tapering into ascending to spreading conical and laterally slightly flattened acute tooth, with minute denticle on each side towards apex. Inflorescence 1 per stem near base, of 1-3(-10) flowers developing in gradual succession, sessile or with peduncle up to 15 mm long, with several short deltoid often laterally toothed bracts 1-2 mm long; pedicel 6-12 mm long, 2.0-2.5 mm thick, ascending and holding flower facing partly upwards or horizontally; sepals 3-5 mm long, 1.5 mm broad at base, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, acuminate. Corolla 22-33 mm diam., rotate; outside smooth, pale green, with 3-5 purplish veins on lobes; inside irregularly ± transversely rugulose with short ridges and tubercles, rugosities becoming denser towards and on annulus but vanishing inside tube, rugosities pale yellow and areas between them pale purple brown; tube 1.0-1.5 mm long, 4-5 mm broad, cupular, formed by raised cushion-like convex annulus, containing base of gynostegium only, with dark purple-brown patch in base but no bristles; lobes 10-14 mm long, 8-10 mm broad at base, spreading to recurved, ovate, acute, somewhat convex towards apex from slightly recurving margins, with vibratile clavate purple marginal cilia up to 2 mm long on basal half of lobes. Corona 4 mm tall, 5 mm broad, ± without basal stipe, red to deep maroon (darker on outer lobes) to pale yellow flecked with maroon; outer lobes <1 mm long, spreading and resting upon side of tube near mouth, broadly rectangular to deltoid, usually emarginate and with triangular medial notch dividing it into short obtuse lobules, edges raised up towards base and fused to lower backs of inner lobes; inner lobes 2.0-3.5 mm long, adpressed to backs of anthers then connivent-erect and sometimes recurving, with apical part terete to slightly clavate, broadly ovate, oblong or ovate-oblong, entire or with 1-2 teeth on each side, sometimes with small irregular obtuse dorsal projection near base.
More
Perennial, dwarf succulent; stems erect or ascending, 20-60 x 5-11 mm, 4-angled with rows of spreading, conical, teeth up to 7 mm long, glabrous, green with purple markings. Flowers 1-3(-10) developing successively; pedicels 6-13 mm long. Sepals 4-5 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate. Corolla 22-38 mm in diam., rotate, light purple-brown, rugose with pale yellow transverse ridges and tubercles; annulus ± pentagonal with shallow depression containing gynostegium; lobes 11-15 x 8-11 mm, ovate, acute, margins slightly recurved, vibratile clavate purple hairs on basal half. Corona maroon to pale yellow, outer lobes up to 1 mm long, spreading, ± rectangular with apical notch; inner lobes 2.0-3.5 mm long, basally incumbent on anthers, apices connivent-erect, apex clavate, sometimes recurving.
Perennial herb, with rhizomes forming an aerial stem. Stems succulent, glabrous; erect or ascending, up to 50 mm high, distinctly 4-angled. Leaves rudimentary. Flowers: inflorescence 1-3, sessile at base of stem; annulus verruculose-papillose, flattish, cream-coloured, centrally depressed; corolla 32-35 mm wide, a deep sandy brown to reddish, striped maroon and a lighter central annulus; Jan.-Jun. Fruit a follicle.
Home
