A straggling, perhaps climbing, perennial.. Stems decumbent, rather woody towards the base, varying from densely pubescent with brown hairs to glabrous.. Ocreae 0.5–0.7 mm. long, ± densely pubescent, membranous, terminally truncate with a fringe of rather wavy setae of similar length.. Leaves sessile, rather like those of O. salicifolium, but broader, elliptic, lanceolate, or ovate-elliptic, 5–6 × 1.1–1.8 cm., very acute, terminally mucronate, marginally entire or slightly sinuous, the midrib of lower face often pale brown, glabrous or thinly pubescent on the midrib below.. Inflorescence slender, elongated, somewhat arcuate, 50 or more cm. long.. Bracts glabrous, fringed with setae 1–1.25 mm. long.. Pedicels pubescent; those of male flowers 3–6 mm. long; those of hermaphrodite flowers noticeably very long, 17–24 mm.. Tepals of long-styled flowers 2 mm. long, linear-lanceolate; styles (only long styles seen) 3.75 mm. long, connate for 1.5 mm.. Fruit fusiform, densely pubescent when young, later glabrescent, up to 6 mm. long, armed at the centre with 3 spreading prickles, 3 mm. long, on the angles and with 1–3 intermediate subsidiary prickles up to 2 mm. long on each intervening face.
Home