Passerina paleacea Wikstr.

Shrubs or shrublets 0.1-1.5 m high. Stems branching from base up to growing points, branchlets from previous growth persistent, arcuate, indurate; younger branchlets ascending, densely white-tomentose, villous closer to growing points; shredded bark of older branchlets greyish brown, remains of tomentum forming lengthwise strips; leaf scars conspicuous; older stems fissured lengthwise exposing greyish white sclerenchyma fibres; internodes shorter than leaves. Leaves imbricate on young branchlets, closely appressed to stem, diverging at an angle of ±0-5°, cymbiform, often expanding, becoming thickly chartaceous and bract-like towards inflorescences; lamina inversely ericoid, adaxial surface concave, tomentose, abaxial surface laterally compressed and glabrous, plane shape linear to linear lanceolate, length x depth 1.5-2.5(-4.0) x 0.6-0.8(-1.2) mm; base sessile, dilated; apex acute, median vein forming a distinct keel incurved at apex; margins involute. Inflorescences subcapitulate, ± ellipsoid. Bracts decussate, imbricate, sessile, appressed. widely ovate in outline, length x depth (2.5-)2.7 x 1.2(-1.9) mm; lamina adaxially (inside) concave and villous, abaxially (outside) convex and glabrous, thickly chartaceous, smooth on each side of main vein, concolorous, greyish green, senescing to yellowish brown; base cuneate; main vein extending into obtuse apex; wings membranous, borders glabrous, obscurely veined. Floral envelope membranous and yellow during pollination, dehydrated after shedding of pollen, turning red to brownish, ±4.2 mm long. Hypanthium glabrous, neck ±0.3 mm long, abscission tissue and articulation plane absent. Sepals concave, elliptic or subrotund and glabrous. Androecium with filaments of antipetalous whorl ±0.7 mm and antisepalous whorl ±1.4 mm long; anthers 0.6 x 0.5 mm. Ovary 2.4 x 1.4 mm. Fruit an achene with pericarp membranous and dry, ±2.3 x 1.2 mm, enveloped by persistent, loosely arranged hypanthium fragmenting over widest circumference of fruit, the fragmented hypanthium, sepals and androecium being shed.