Thesium kilimandscharicum Engl.

Annual or short-lived perennial, often rather yellowish green; stems numerous from the crown of the taproot, prostrate to tufted, 9–40 cm long, divaricately well-branched from the base, densely leafy, broadly ribbed by the decurrent leaves, distinctly channelled between the ribs.. Leaves ascending-recurved to spreading, linear, main ones mostly 5–20x0.8–1 mm, apiculate, margins smooth, ± rounded on the back.. Flowers solitary in axils of bracts, 3–5 in short axillary and terminal racemes; bracts adnate to very short pedicel, leaf-like, mostly 2.5–6x0.8–1 mm; bracteoles 2, similar to bracts but smaller; pedicels up to 0.75 mm long.. Perianth yellow-green, white or yellowish inside; tube very short, inside the perianth tube completely hidden by the thick disk, external glands minute, almost globose; lobes (3–)4(–5), triangular, 0.5–1 mm long, subacute, glabrous.. Stamens inserted at base of perianth lobes; filaments visible, 0.1–0.3 mm long; anthers 0.2–0.3 mm long.. Style 0.2–0.3(–0.7) mm long; stigma reaching top of anthers or occasionally higher.. Fruit light reddish brown, ellipsoid-globose, 1.5–2 mm long, 1.25–1.8 mm in diameter, weakly ribbed and reticulate; stipe pale, 0.5–0.75 mm long.