Roella spicata L.F.

An erect or diffuse ericoid shrublet up to 40 cm. high, usually with many ascending branches. Stems hairy. Leaves usually crowded, spreading or ascending, linear, 3-7 mm. long, flat above, obtusely keeled below, more or less trigonous, glabrous but most often coarsely ciliate near the base, sometimes covered with short hairs, most often with axillary fascicles of small leaves. Flowers in terminal and lateral heads, usually crowded in a spike-like inflorescence. Heads longer than wide, 4-8 mm. long, 3-6 mm. wide, each with 1 or less often 2 or 3 flowers. Bracts glabrous or covered with short hairs, 4-8 mm. long, broad-based, ovate in outline, acute or more often acuminate, with a narrow point 2-3 mm. long; the outer entire or with a few teeth, the inner with few or many teeth. Calyx longer than the bracts, the lobes lanceolate, acute, 3-5 mm. long. Corolla white, tubular-campanulate, 0-6-1-3 cm. long, the lobes as long as or longer than the tube. Filaments ciliate at the base. Style hairy. Ovary hairy.