Phylica lachneaeoides Pillans

A much branched, wiry shrub, about 60 cm high. Branchlets slender, clothed with short, subadpressed pubescence. Leaves closely set, 5-8 mm long: lamina erect-spreading or ascending, slightly incurved, linear or lanceolate-linear, apiculate, rounded at base, with closely revolute margins covering the lower surface; upper surface smooth and glabrous, at first minutely pubescent on the sides and about the apex: petiole about 1 mm long. Capitula usually clustered, 8-12 mm wide, laxly many-flowered, surrounded at base by several leaves and outer, foliaceous bracts. Bracts of the inner flowers 4-5 mm long, linear, subfoliaceous above the middle, pubescent on the sides and lower half of the outer surface. Bracteoles absent. Flowers stipitate, 6-8 mm long, constricted between the tube and the ovary, covered outside, except on the ovary, with short, white tomentum: calyx-tube 4-4.5 mm deep, tubular: sepals 1.75-2 mm long, lanceolate-ovate, flattened, slightly keeled down the inner face. Petals inserted at the mouth of the tube, 0.75-1 mm long: lamina cordate, obtuse, cucullate, with incurved margins: claw scarcely half as long, subquadrate. Anthers widely cordate 2-celled. Ovary turbinate, velvety-pubescent. Style slender, 4.5-5.5 mm long. Stigma capitate, reaching above the petals. Fruit usually solitary, about 6 mm long, elliptic-rotundate, deeply furrowed, covered with greenish, velvety pubescence, surmounted by a very small calyx-base.