Colobanthus squarrosus subsp. squarrosus

Detailed description

A compact multi-branched cushion up to 700 mm diameter and 50-75 mm high (large cushions may be formed from the coalescence of several individuals). Branches leafy for much of length with c.5-8 pairs of green leaves and numerous persistent, pale brown dead leaves below; internodes 0.1-10.5 mm long. Leaves rigid, spreading to ascending and ± imbricate; sheath 0.6-2.5 mm long; blade subulate, 1.4-9.0 mm long (including the translucent tip), 0.6-1.4 mm wide, with colourless borders c.0.1 mm wide, becoming ± channelled when dry, gradually narrowed into a shortly acicular tip 0.3-0.9 mm long. Inflorescence a solitary flower on a bracteolate peduncle, lateral near branch apex. Flowers predominantly 5-merous, 3.5-5.5 mm diameter. Sepals 4-5, persistent, ovate, ovate-triangular or broadly ovate-triangular, 2.5-3.5 x 1.2-2.6 mm, margins ± membranous, keel not thickened, inconspicuous, predominantly white at anthesis (with a pale green median strip below) but becoming pale green at fruiting, the apex acute, occasionally cucullate, often with a small apiculus 0.1-0.4 mm long. Petals 0. Stamens 4-5, 3.0-7.8 mm long; anthers pale yellow. Ovary ovoid, white to yellowish at flowering becoming pale green at fruiting, ovules 9-44; styles 4 or 5, 1.5-3.5mm long. Peduncles ± hidden amongst leaves or shortly exserted at fruiting, 1.1-12.7mm long, with 1-3 pairs of foliose bracteoles; bracteoles 1.4-3.7 mm long with a short apiculate tip 0.1-0.4 mm long. Capsule splitting to c.½, 4- or 5-valved, valves from 1 mm shorter to 1.5 mm longer than sepals. Seeds brown, shiny, colliculate dorsally to ± smooth laterally, ± obliquely reniform, 0.5-0.85 × 0.4-0.7 mm.