Spatalla propinqua R.Br.

An erect shrub, 1 m tall, developing a stout main stem. Branches slender, erect, terete. Leaves acicular terete 15-25 mm long, tipped with a long (1 mm) mucro, pilose at first, soon glabrous, upper surface occasionally canaliculate. Inflorescence subsessile to pedunculate, peduncle 1-3 cm long. Inflorescence lax, narrowly cylindric to conic, 3-10 cm long, 1 cm broad, terminal, or with up to 5 lateral spikes arising around the peduncle. Bracts linear subulate, 7 mm long, sericeous. Involucres pedicellate, 3 flowered, pedicel villous. Bracteoles free, ovate acuminate, thinly villous to sericeous, margins densely ciliate, 3-5 mm long. Median anticous bracteole subtends an abortive shoot, smaller than the two lateral bracteoles. Perianth segments unequal, posticous segment larger than the three anticous segments. Perianth limbs ovate elliptic 1 mm long, sericeous, posticous limb erect, strongly galeate. Perianth claws thickly villous, the three anticous claws spreading outwards, recurved and coiled. Perianth tube 1 mm long, villous, cylindric. Anthers ovate, elliptic, sessile, apical boss black and rounded. Style straight but strongly curved forwards at the apex, 6-7 mm long. Pollen presenter a dark obliquely obovate cochleariform disc. Ovary ovoid, 1 mm long, tomentose. Hypogynous scales 1 mm long, subulate, hyaline to pale yellow. Fruits cylindric, 5-6 mm long, 2 mm broad, truncate and pedicellate at the base, glabrous to minutely pubescent in the basal region. Flowering commences as early as June or July. A second flush of inflorescences is produced in early summer which results in the flowering period lasting until March.