Selago elsiae Hilliard

Habit and height unknown, longest stem seen c. 250 mm, 2.2 mm in diam., curved as though decumbent, long and rodlike, pubescent all round, hairs c. 0.8 mm long, ± patent, closely leafy. Leaves opposite, alternate upwards, not fascicled but a pair of small leaves often present in axils, largest leaves 12-19 x 4-6 mm, elliptic, apex acute, base contracted to a subpetiolar part, margins entire or with a very small tooth near apex, slightly thickened, texture rather thin, midrib channelled on upper surface, raised on lower, glandular-punctate, hairs up to 0.6 mm long on margins and midline on both surfaces, quickly shorter upwards and strongly upcurved. Inflorescence a many-flowered spike c. 10 mm in diam., elongating as flowers open, lower flowers becoming distant, either solitary at tip of long leafy branch or few subsidiary spikes developing below terminal one. Bract adnate to calyx tube, lowermost 7.8-9 x 3-3.3 mm, lanceolate-elliptic, apex acute, hairs up to 0.4 mm long on margins, upward-pointing, to 0.5 mm long on keel, minute globular glands inside. Pedicel wanting. Calyx 3.2-3.8 mm long, deeply 3-lobed, anticolateral lobes 2.1-2.8 x 1-1.1 mm, hairs up to 0.4 mm long on margins and keels, minute globular glands as well both inside and out. Corolla tube 5-6.8 mm long, funnel-shaped, limb 5-6 mm across lateral lobes, posticous lobes 2-2.3 x 1.2-1.3 mm, anticous lobe 2.3-3 x 1.3 mm, all lobes oblong-elliptic, mauve. Stamens: posticous filaments 1.1-2 mm long, anthers included or in mouth, anticous filaments 2-2.8 mm long, anthers well exerted. Stigma and style c. 6-9 mm long, style strongly pubescent. Ovary c. 0.8 x 0.7 mm, globular glands all over upper part. Cocci not seen, but probably with two large spurious cells.