Thesmophora scopulosa Rourke

A dwarf, divaricate, ericoid shrublet 150-300 mm in height with a single main stem, suberect to sprawling, usually growing in rock crevices. Branches slender, 1.5 mm diam., prominently 4-ridged when young, later with lanate tufts between the leaf scars. Leaves ericoid, sessile, glabrous, in whorls of 4; very narrowly lanceolate-acute, 4-7 mm long. 1.2 mm broad, margins minutely serrate, apices mucronate; upper surface flattened, punctate, under surface convex with two parallel, longitudinal stomatal grooves. Inflorescence a subterminal spike, 15-20 mm long, of 20-35 sessile flowers subtended by a glabrous foliaceous bract. Floral bracts two, opposite, glabrous, lanceolate-cymbiform, acute, prominently keeled. Calyx tubular, 5-lobed, actinomorphic, glabrous, 5 mm long; lobes 1 mm long, ovate-obtuse to rounded, apices incurved with a medium keel externally. Corolla 6 mm long, tubular, 4-lobed, bilabiate; upper lip a greatly enlarged, ovate to rounded, galeate lobe; lower lip consisting of 2 equal lateral lobes, obtuse to rounded and a minute, acute, much reduced median lobe; tube slightly adaxially curved, infundibuliform, glabrous externally and internally; corolla lobes densely setose on outer surface. Stamens 4, slightly exserted, 3 mm long, inserted in the corolla tube, alternating with lobes, posterior stamen absent; anthers 2-celled, rounded, dorsifixed. Ovary glabrous, obconic, laterally compressed, minutely stipitate, the apex prolonged into an asymmetrical, undulately lobed fleshy disc, cleft anteriorly and clasping style base; chambered, each chamber with a single pendulous ovule arising from the top of the septum, one becoming abortive. Style glabrous straight filiform, 3 mm long, slightly exserted. Stigma simple to minutely bilobed, apex papillate. Mature seeds not seen.