Description :

• Undershrubs, rarely herbs
• Leaves somewhat ericoid, often recurved, sometimes those under flowers pinnately spinous-lobed
• Flowers sessile, solitary or glomerate at ends of branches
• Calyx longer than corolla tube, (4)5-lobed; tube shallowly saucer-shaped; lobes lanceolate-linear to ovate, entire or pectinate or ciliate in upper half
• Corolla (4)5-lobed; tube usually campanulate; lobes elliptic or oblong
• Stamens (4)5, free from corolla tube; included or subexserted; filaments expanded at base into an oblong or linear, ciliated, scale-like structure; anthers 2-thecous, free, linear or oblong-linear
• Disc annular or swollen
• Ovary 2-locular, with many ovules in each locule; style broadly linear or terete, sometimes hairy at base or glandular above, sometimes with 2 glands at base of stigma, included; stigma of 2 lobes either recurved, somewhat fleshy and often clavate, or oblong and glandular
• Fruit a capsule, 2-locular, perforated by base of style and appearing as if covered by an apical lid, at length dehiscing by hole at apex, without valves
• Seeds many, angled, scabrous, thick

Nomenclature:

• Roella L.
  • Linnaeus: 170 (1753)
  • Adamson: 129 (1951)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 25, mostly Western Cape, 1 in KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape