Dwarf non-rhizomatous succulent forming mat up to 150 mm diam. Stems 20-150 mm long, 15-20 mm thick, prostrate, glabrous, grey to purplish above, paler and often pinkish below; tubercles 2-5 mm long, conical and joined into 4 obtuse angles along stem when young, later stem swelling to become ± convex between 4 rows of tubercles of which only an acute hardened pale yellow spreading to slightly recurved tooth remains. Inflorescences glabrous, 1(-3) per stem, usually developing on underside of stems at or just below surface of soil on short knobbly peduncle up to 5 mm long; pedicel 2-3 mm long, 1 mm thick, reddish, descending or spreading holding flower facing horizontally or downwards; sepals ±2 mm long, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, pinkish. Corolla 6-10 mm long, (7-)12-14 mm diam., pear-shaped to campanulate; outside glabrous, smooth, red to maroon; inside red to maroon, with many erect straight white bristles up to 0.5 mm long from tips of lobes to base of tube (longest around mouth) but without basal papillae; tube 2-4 mm long, ±4 mm broad, pentagonal, V-shaped with lower part closely enclosing base of gynostegium and stipe, walls 1.5-2.0 mm thick from near base to mouth; lobes ±4 mm long, 4-6 mm broad at base, ascending and remaining connate at tips to erect or widely spreading, deltate, acute, thick and rigidly fleshy. Corona 2.5-3.0 mm tall, ±3.5 mm broad, raised on stout obtusely pentagonal stipe ±1 mm long, dark maroon with blackish edges; outer lobes ±1 mm long, ascending-spreading, channelled above, narrowing slightly to truncate or emarginate apex, fused laterally to inner lobes only near base; inner lobes 2.3-3.0 mm long, erect then connivent at apices, laterally flattened becoming dorsiventrally flattened or terete near obtuse slightly swollen tips, with slight to prominent obtuse spreading ± deltoid dorsal wing near middle.
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Perennial, dwarf creeping succulent, mat-forming; stems up to 150 mm long, procumbent or partly underground, 4-angled, with flat or slightly concave sides; glabrous, dull green with purple markings, teeth pale green when young, becoming hardened and brown with age. Inflorescences 1(3) per stem, arising near base of stem, developed underground, 3 or more flowers. Sepals ± ovate, acuminate, glabrous. Corolla broadly depressed pear-shaped, frosted pale purple inside, papillate to glabrous outside; lobes fleshy, triangular, connate at apex forming dome-like top to flower or erect and widely spreading. Corona 2-seriate; outer lobes whitish, reduced to minute, ovate, spreading; inner lobes dark purple, erect, with apex connivent above style apex. Flowering time Dec.?
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