Phylica velutina Sond.

A sparsely branched shrub, about 30 cm high, with ascending, wiry branches. Branchlets clothed with short, subadpressed pubescence. Leaves closely set, ascending or erect-spreading, 1.3-2.3 cm long: lamina acicular, acute, apiculate, rounded at base, often spreading at the apex, with closely revolute margins covering the lower surface; upper surface minutely scabrid, closely covered with adpressed, subpersistent grey pubescence: petiole about 1 mm long, flattened. Spikes 1-5 cm long, dense, 6-8 mm wide (excluding bracts), cylindric, tapered at the apex. Bracts foliaceous, erect-spreading or spreading, 1.3-2.3 cm long, narrowly linear, densely silky villous with buff hairs on both sides, considerably over-topping the flowers and giving the inflorescence a plumose appearance. Bracteoles 2, often absent, 2-3 mm long, linear, puberulous. Mowers shortly stipitate, 5-6 mm long: calyx-tube 2-2.25 mm deep, cyathiform, obscurely pentagonal, with a low annulus at the base within, clothed outside with short, spreading or erect-spreading hairs: sepals 1.5-2 mm long, deltoid-ovate, acute, with a narrow keel from apex to base on the inner surface, velvety pubescent on the outer surface. Petals inserted at the mouth of the tube, 1 mm long: lamina cordate, deeply concave, cucullate at the apex; claw very short, subquadrate. Anthers cordate in front view, 2-celled. Ovary obconic, narrower than and separated from the tube by a constriction, clothed with short, ascending pubescence. Style 1.5-2 mm long, slender, striate. Stigma 0.25-0.5 mm long, cylindric, entire. Fruit 7-8 mm long, rotundate, wrinkled, chestnut-brown, puberulous, with a small calyx-area upon the summit.