Shrubs of various habit, to 1·5 m. or more tall. Branchlets bifariously pubescent, length of internodes c. = diam. Lvs imbricate, patent, or ± distichous through twisting of some petioles, 1-2-(3) cm. long, us. rather uniform on one plant, elliptic-ovate, coriac. and rigid to submembr., upper surface glossy, undersurface dull with ∞ stomata; lf-bud with broad heart-shaped sinus, lamina-base rounded, petiole narrow above its broad ± pulvinate base; lamina subacute, ± concave, quite glab., entire, the margin bevelled, or milled like a coin, sts (as in type) also thickly cartilaginous and minutely crenulate; midrib sts forming keel. Infl. us. composed of 1-2 pairs of lateral spikes surmounted by a terminal one, and then forming a conical mass of crowded fls at the branch-tip; often simpler and sts reduced to only one spike, either terminal or occ. lateral; peduncles very short and hidden, bifariously pubescent. Fls sessile in strictly opp. pairs. Bracts broadly triangular, ± keeled, the lowest ones on each spike with lf-like texture except at membr. ciliolate margin, = calyx. Calyx-lobes 3-5 mm. long, subcoriac., ± keeled, ciliolate, the anterior two subacute, overlapping and slightly > posterior pair. Corolla-tube narrow-cylindric, = or > calyx, lobes = or > tube, us. rather narrow. Capsule erect, glab., to 2 × calyx.

2n = 42

2n = 42

n = 21, 42

2n = 84, c. 84

2n = 84

2n = 42

n = 21

2n = 42

n = 40

n = 42

n = 21

2n = 84

2n = 84

n = 42