Selago persimilis Hilliard

Woody shrublet, stems to at least 400 mm (no basal parts seen, no information from collectors), thickest stem seen 7 mm in diam., virgately branched, branches probably spreading or erect, old parts nude, young parts puberulous, hairs c. 0.1 mm long, retrorse, closely leafy. Leaves opposite, alternate upwards, fascicled, largest primary leaves 3.5-10 x 1.3-1.8 mm, elliptic, apex obtuse, base slightly narrowed then abruptly expanded and half-clasping, margins entire, thickened, texture thick (blade elliptic in transverse section), venation invisible, glandular-punctate, hairs to 0.15 mm long at clasping base, elsewhere to 0.1 mm scattered over both surfaces; axillary leaves similar. Inflorescence composed of crowded glomerules c. 7 x 8 mm in first flower, either sessile or on short (c. 5 mm) very leafy peduncles, crowded into narrow terminal panicles c. 25-150 x 12-15 mm, occasionally compounded, sometimes further panicled when branching twiggy. Bract adnate to calyx tube, lowermost 2.5-3.8 x 1-1.5 mm, broadly elliptic or ovate-elliptic, lower part concave, apex obtuse or subacute, hairs on margins up to 0.2-0.3 mm long, to 0.1-0.15 mm long all over back together with a few minute globular glands, inside globular glands together with a few acute hairs. Pedicel 0-0.5 mm long. Calyx 2-2.5 mm long, obliquely campanulate, 5-or occasionally 4-lobed roughly halfway to base, 2 anticous lobes distinctly broader than other three, hairs up to 0.1-0.3 mm long on margins, 0.15-0.25 mm long all over outside together with minute globular glands. Corolla tube 2.7-4.3 mm long, broadly funnel-shaped, limb 3.8-4.5 mm across lateral lobes, posticous lobes 1-1.5 x 0.8-1.4 mm, anticous lobe 1.8-2.2 x 1-1.7 mm, all lobes elliptic oblong, white (but see. below). Stamens: posticous filaments 1.5-2 mm long, anticous filaments 1.7-2.5 mm, all anthers well exerted. Stigma and styk3.5-5 mm long, style puberulous. Ovary c. 0.7 x 0.6 mm. Cocci 1.4-2 x 0.8-1.1 mm, yellow-brown, smooth.