Phylica dioica L.

A much branched shrub, 0.5-1 m high, rigid in its lower parts. Branchlets covered with buff coloured tomentum with which are mingled longer, straight hairs. Leaves 1.3-1.8 cm long: lamina erect-spreading or spreading, ovate, obtuse, rounded or subcordate at base; upper surface slightly revolute at the margins, tubercled, at first pubescent; lower surface mostly exposed, with evident secondary nerves, closely covered with short, white tomentum: petiole 3-5 mm long. Capitula 1.3-1.5 cm wide, surrounded by many leaves with elongated petioles, flattened above, much wider than the depth. Bracts of the outer flowers about 8 mm long, foliaceous. Bracts of the inner flowers 3-4 mm long, subulate, covered with long, ascending, fulvous hairs. Bracteoles absent. Flowers 5-5-5 mm long, slightly arcuate, on pedicels 0.75-1 mm long, with a dense covering outside of long, fulvous hairs, glabrous on the inner surface: calyx-tube 2.75-3 mm deep, narrowly cyathiform: sepals 1-1.25 mm long, ovate, acute, with the midrib slightly raised above the inner surface. Petals inserted at the mouth of the tube, 1 mm long; lamina widely ovate or subrotundate, cucullate above the middle, with involute margins: claw about 0.25 mm long. Anthers 1-celled. Ovary obconic. Style 3 mm long, terete, slender, tapered into a shortly conical, entire stigma.