Description:

• Perennial herbs or undershrubs
• Leaves entire to faintly crenate
• Inflorescence axillary, monochasial cymes, sometimes congested, sometimes somewhat spinescent; bracts present; bracteoles 0
• Calyx subregular; lobes 5, unequal, usually with posticous one longer and broader than others and with lateral ones often pointed or spinescent; tube shorter than lobes
• Corolla 2-lipped; upper lip ovate-oblong, emarginate, rugula distinct; lower lip 3-lobed, with 2 deep channels on outside; aestivation imbricate; tube longer than lobes, cylindric below, broadened above, often with stiff, deflexed hairs at top of cylindric part
• Androecium: fertile stamens 4, didynamous; filaments arising in pairs ± in middle of corolla tube, slightly exserted, linear; anthers 2-thecous or rarely those of posticous stamens monothecous; thecae parallel, muticous; staminodes 0
• Pollen prolate, 3-colporate, with pseudocolpi; surface with shallow reticulations
• Disc annular
• Gynoecium: ovary with (1)2 ovules in each locule, usually hairy at tip; style terete, slightly exserted, running in rugula; style branch 1, ventral lobe flattened and expanded
• Capsule ovoid or elliptic, estipitate, with inelastic placental bases
• Seeds ovoid or suborbicular, with hygroscopic hairs over whole surface
• x = 10, 11 (12) (polyploidy)

Nomenclature:

• Lepidagathis Willd.
  • Willdenow: 400 (1800)
  • Clarke: 120 (1899)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species ± 100, fairly cosmopolitan in warm and tropical areas
• Southern Africa: Species 2, Namibia, Botswana, Swaziland and northern and eastern provinces of South Africa