Description :

• Erect, stout shrubs up to 800 mm high, with persistent, hardened remains of old leaves on branches, with internodes 30-40 mm long
• Leaves opposite, connate at base and stem-sheathing, 3-angled, linear-lanceolate, with acute keel, ± 70 × 8 mm; epidermal cells convex, stomata sunken
• Flowers 3-7 in dichasia on short peduncles, bracteate
• Sepals 5 or 6, ± equal
• Petals 1- or 2-seriate, white
• Stamens with many staminodes; inner filaments papillate up to middle
• Nectary a ± obscure ring
• Ovary slightly convex on top; placentas parietal; stigmas (6)7 or 8(9), narrowly subulate
• Fruit a (6)7 or 8(9)-locular capsule, obconic-globose; close to Ruschia type, but valves connate at base, therefore opening only partially and remaining open; expanding keels contiguous at base, widely diverging, without wings; covering membranes well developed; closing bodies 0
• Seeds ovate, ± 1 mm long, brown

• Flowering winter to early spring

• Distinguishing characters :
  • Erect and woody shrubs with long internodes and stem-sheathing cylindrical leaves with a ridged bottom edge
  • Flowers pink or white with stamens and staminodes collected in a cone
  • Fruit 6-9-locular; once open, remaining so

Nomenclature:

• Stayneria L.Bolus
  • Bolus: 47 (1961)
  • Herre: 292 (1971)
  • Smith et al.: 364 (1998)

Distribution & Notes:

• Southern Africa : Species 1: Stayneria neilii (L.Bolus) L.Bolus, confined to the Breede River Valley, Western Cape, from Worcester in the west to McGregor in the east