Selago articulata Thunb.

Dwarf woody shrublet c. 150-250 mm tall, rather loosely virgately branched, branches spreading to erect, old parts bare, young branches pubescent, hairs c. 0.1-0.2 mm long all round stem, patent, sunken glands as well, often oozing, closely leafy. Leaves opposite, quickly alternate upwards, fascicled, largest primary leaves 2-5 x 0.3-0.7 mm, linear or oblong, apex obtuse, base broad, margins entire, slightly thickened, texture rather thick, venation invisible, glandular-punctate, often oozing and varnished, occasionally a few acute hairs on lower margins; axillary leaves similar. Inflorescence a small crowded spike c. 4-5 x 4-5 mm in first flower, elongating to c. 5-12 mm in fruit and remaining relatively crowded, often solitary at tips of branchlets c. 25-70 mm long, sometimes with a few subsidiary spikes developing below the terminal one forming a very loose panicle. Bract adnate to calyx tube, lowermost 1.8-2.2 x 0.8-1 mm, lanceolate, apex obtuse, base concave, somewhat pouched, hairs 0.1-0.2 mm long on margins, very minute globular glands on both surfaces. Pedicel either wanting or up to 0.1 mm long. Calyx 1.4-1.6 mm long, deeply 3-or occasionally 2-lobed by abortion of posticous lobe, anticolateral lobes broadly triangular, roughly as long as broad, hairs 0.2-0.4 mm long on margins, few to 0.15 mm long on posticous side, minute globular glands both inside and out. Corolla tube 2.3-2.4 mm long (smaller in all parts when flowers female), broadly funnel-shaped, limb 3.6-4 mm across lateral lobes, posticous lobes 1.2-1.7 x 0.6-0.8 mm, or lip undivided, anticous lobe 1.8-2 x 0.9-1.2 mm, all lobes oblong-elliptic, shades of mauve fading^ (?) to white. Stamens: posticous filaments 1.8-2.3 mm long, anticous filaments 2.2-2.5 mm, all anthers far exerted (except in female flowers). Stigma and style c. 2.2-4 mm long, style glabrous. Ovary c. 0.6 x 0.4 mm. Cocci c. 1.7-1.8 x 1-1.1 mm, light red-brown, smooth. Flowering has been recorded in May, September and October.