A perennial much-branched herb.. Stems woody, reddish-brown, bearing many congested, persistent ocreae from previous seasons’ growth, pubescent or becoming glabrous.. Ocreae 7 mm. long on the old stems, 2.5–7 mm. long on the new growth, membranous, glabrous or pubescent, terminally truncate and fringed with setae 5–9 mm. long.. Leaves sessile, glabrous, congested towards the base of the current seasons growth, 25–35 × 2–2.5 mm., ± erect, subfastigiate, linear, narrowed to each end, apically mucronate, the midrib prominent below, rather revolute at the margins.. Inflorescence slender, up to ± 15 cm. long.. Bracts glabrous, truncate but produced dorsally into a long point, terminally fringed with setae up to 3 mm. long.. Flowers 2–3 from each bract.. Pedicels long, 7–13 mm., glabrous or puberulent, spreading becoming deflexed.. Flowers not seen.. Very immature fruit apparently prickly.. Fig. 6/5, p. 35.
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