Selago linearis Rolfe

Perennial herb, eventually shrubby, branches erect to prostrate, c. 200-500 mm long, up to c. 6 mm in diam., hairs c. 0.1-0.2 mm long in bands running down stem, recurved, closely leafy. Leaves fascicled, alternate, largest primary leaves 5-10 x 0.7-1.4 mm (largest axillary leaves c. 4-11 x 0.5-1.1 mm), linear-lanceolate or linear-oblong, apex acute, apiculate, base broad, decurrent down stem as a glabrous or nearly glabrous band, margins entire, revolute in dry state, texture thick, glandular-punctate, otherwise glabrous except for tiny hairs at clasping base of primary leaves. Inflorescence a terminal raceme c. 10-25 x 6-8 mm, sometimes remaining solitary, often loosely associated with subsidiary racemes to form a narrow paniculate (or sometimes ± corymbose) compound inflorescence, flowers moderately crowded, sometimes distant. Bract adnate to at least half calyx tube, lowermost 2.7-4 x 0.5-1 mm, linear-lanceolate, acute, lower part scarcely concave, hairs c. 0.1-0.15 mm long confined to lower margins. Pedicels, if present, up to c. 0.2 mm long. Calyx 1.7-2 mm long, obliquely campanulate, lobed up to halfway, lobing very irregular, ranging from 3-5(-6) lobes, 2 anticous lobes larger than others, hairs up to 0.15-0.25 mm long on margins, often shorter hairs on posticous side of tube, as well as minute glandular hairs particularly on anticous side. Corolla tube 2.2-4 mm long, funnel-shaped, limb 3-6 mm across lateral lobes, anticous lobe 2-3.3 x 0.8-1.7 mm, posticous lobes 1.1-2.2 x 0.7-1.2 mm (female flowers not uncommon, then all parts smaller), all lobes oblong or elliptic, variously recorded as shades of mauve, blue, heliotrope and lavender. Stamens: posticous filaments 1.5-2.5 mm long, anticous filaments 1.7-3 mm, all anthers well exerted. Stigma and style c. 3-5 mm long, style glabrous. Ovary c. 0.1 x 0.4 mm. Cocci 1.4-2 x 0.8-1.2 mm, dark brown, rugulose, plane on inner face, but in transverse section fertile part seen to occupy one third of loculus, the other two thirds composed of two spurious cells. Flowering mainly between March and June, but flowers can be found in any month.