Glabrous. Leaves opposite, often seemingly superposed through extreme contraction of every second internode and reduction of every second pair of leaves to scales; lamina ovate, 8-20 by 5-12 cm, thick, truncate to slightly cordate at the base, sessile or with a terete petiole to 4 mm long, obtuse at the apex, dull on both sides; venation pinnate with the midrib and main laterals visible on both sides. Inflorescencess at the nodes, a head of (8—)10—12(—15) flowers; peduncle stout, 4-12 mm long, 3-4 mm thick, flattened at the apex; involucral bracts ovate to orbicular, 25-40 by 20-25 mm, obtuse or rounded; pedicels 1.5-2 mm long, much enlarged under the fruit, articulate above the middle, with acute bracts c. 1.5 mm long. Corolla in mature bud 40-65 mm long, widened upwards, narrowed near the apex, rounded, pink or red; tube in the open flower 25-40 mm long with the petals reflexed 3-5 mm higher. Anther 3-4 mm long, about equal to the free part of the filament. Fig. 40.
Home