Perennial, 15–50 cm., much branched from the base upwards, with numerous arching stems from a central woody rootstock.. Stem and branches striate, scarcely swollen at the nodes, in the older parts terete and glabrescent, increasingly sulcate and finally ± tetragonous above, the younger parts ± densely shortly pubescent.. Leaves elliptic or ovate, 9–17 × 6–10 mm., obtuse at the apex and mucronate with the excurrent nerve, broadly cuneate at the base with a petiole 1–2 mm. long, ± densely appressed pubescent on both surfaces, only the midrib distinct.. Inflorescences of short subsessile axillary and terminal spikes finally elongating to ± 1.5 cm., rhachis densely shortly pubescent; bracts lanceolate-ovate, 1–1.5 mm., shortly pilose, membranous except for the green midrib, which is excurrent in a short mucro; bracteoles similar but slightly broader and less pilose.. Flowers sessile.. Tepals green, rather firm, prominently 5-nerved, all the nerves confluent well below the apex to form a thick acumen which is mucronate at the tip; the outer 2 lanceolate, very narrowly hyaline-margined, 2.5–3.5 mm., densely shortly pubescent; the inner 2 ovate-lanceolate, widely hyaline-margined, pilose only at the apex and on the dorsal surface of the midrib; middle tepal with one side glabrous and widely margined, the other narrowly margined and uniformly pilose.. Stamens delicate, ± 1.5 mm.; pseudostaminodes absent.. Style ± 0.5 mm.. Capsule oblong-ovoid with a small firm apex, ± 1.75 mm.; at maturity the fruiting perianth develops a hollow stipe to ± 2 mm. long, which is sulcate when it shrinks on drying.. Seed oblong-ovoid, ± 1.5 mm., brown shining, faintly reticulate.
Home