Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Shrubs 0.5–2 m tall.

Stems: Stems erect to decumbent.

Roots:

Leaves: Leaves simple. Opposite. Blades obovate to broadly elliptic or suborbicular, 2–12 cm long, 1.5–7.3 cm wide. Surfaces densely white strigose, epidermis usually obscured, especially on the lower surface, the hairs sometimes spreading, 0.5–1.5 mm long. Margins usually entire or nearly so. Petiolate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in spikes congested, 3–25 cm long, the rachis densely white pubescent or tomentose, 1.5–2.5(–3) mm in diameter, the hairs spreading to appressed, 0.5–2 mm long. peduncles 0.6–3.4 cm long. sepals subtended by a lanceolate, spine–tipped bract 3–6 mm long, bracteoles 3.5–5.3 mm long, spine–tipped. Flowers bisexual (perfect). Calyx of 5 sepals, sepals subequal, 6.5–10.5 mm long apex acute. Corolla (petals) absent. Stamens 2–5, connate at base; anthers dithecal. Ovary superior; ovule 1; style slender; stigma capitate.

Fruit: Utricles 1.5–3 mm long. Seeds 1 per fruit; the surface usually lustrous; endosperm essentially absent.

Ploidy: 2n = 76*; 78*

Habitat: Scattered in low elevation; open; dry forest remnants and open thickets; on talus or rocky slopes; and on coralline plains.

Elevation Range: 0–30(–500) m.