Phylica barnardii Pillans

A much branched shrub, about 60 cm high, rigid in the lower parts, wiry upwards. Branchlets slender, with spreading, silky, white pubescence. Leaves closely set 0.7-1.2 cm long: lamina linear, narrowed towards the apex, acute, rounded or subcordate at base, erect-spreading; semiterete, with closely revolute margins covering the lower surface; upper surface tubercled, softly pilose, at length glabrous: petiole 1 mm long. Capitula solitary or frequently clustered, 6-10 mm wide, rotundate, subtended by several leaves. Bracts of the outer flowers up to 8 mm long. Bracts of the inner flowers 4-6 mm long, elliptic or rotundate in the lower half, linear-lanceolate above, pubescent on both sides. Bracteoles 2-4, dissimilar, 2.5-4 mm long, lanceolate or linear, pubescent on the dorsal surface. Flowers sessile 5-7 mm long, clothed outside with short, silky, white pubescence ascending upon the ovary and gradually spreading upwards: calyx-tube 2-3.5 mm deep, cyathiform, lined with a disc up to near the mouth: sepals 1.75-2.5 mm long, spreading from about the middle, ovate at base, thence linear, glabrous and prominently convex on the inner side. Petals usually absent, sometimes present in an incomplete number, inserted on the upper half of the tube, rarely complete in number, acicular, incurved. Anthers cordate, 1-celled. Ovary widely obconic. Style very stout and short. Stigma distinct, pulvinate.