Selago exigua Hilliard

Dwarf shrublet, loosely well branched, longest stem seen 250 mm, 2 mm in diam., possibly ± sprawling, old parts nude, young parts puberulous, hairs c. 0.1 mm long, retrorse. Leaves alternate, fascicled, largest primary leaves 3-4 x 1-1.2 mm, elliptic-oblong, apex obtuse to subacute, base broad, margins entire, texture thick, blade broadly elliptic in T.S., venation invisible, glandular-punctate otherwise glabrous except for very few hairs c. 0.1 mm long on margins at clasping base; axillary leaves similar. Inflorescence a crowded spike c. 6-8 x 4-5 mm in flower terminating a short (c. 20-50 mm) leafy twiglet, twiglets very loosely panicled at tips of main branches. Bract adnate to about half calyx tube, lowermost 2-2.3 x 0.7 mm, linear-lanceolate, subacute, thick-textured, a few hairs c. 0.15 mm long on lower margins, back glabrous except for a few minute globular glands at base. Pedicel wanting or up to 0.2 mm long. Calyx 1.7-1.8 mm long, very obliquely campanulate, 5-lobed roughly halfway to base, 2 anticous lobes much longer and broader than other 3, hairs to c. 0.1 mm long on margins, a few c. 0.1 mm long on posticous side outside, small globular glands scattered all over. Corolla tube c. 2 mm long, funnel-shaped, limb c. 3 mm across lateral lobes, posticous lobes c. l x 0.6 mm, anticous lobe c. 1.5-1.7 x 1 mm, all lobes oblong-elliptic, mauve. Stamens: posticous filaments c. l.5 mm long, anticous filaments c. 1.8-2 mm, all anthers well exerted. Stigma and style c. l.7-2.2 mm long, style glabrous. Ovary c. 0.5 x 0.4 mm. Cocci not seen.