Antimima

Compact, tufted, mat-forming or shrubby perennials, often with a compact centre forming long shoots; isophyllous or heterophyllous. Leaves of isophyllous species boat-shaped with convex sides, to nearly finger-shaped, often keeled in upper part, of heterophyllous species mostly oval and very often connate for at least part of their length, enveloping subsequent leaf pair during resting season, mucronate, epidermis cells flat to papillate, with wax cover smooth or, in papillate forms, with a smooth lateral channel and wax flakes or platelets on remaining surface. Flowers 1(-3), rarely in well-developed cymes; bracts and bracteoles present; opening in the morning and closing in evening; sometimes strongly scented. Petals often arranged in 5, rarely 6 groups, pink to purple, rarely white; staminodes mostly in a central cone surrounding stamens closely. Nectary a crenulate ring. Ovary with basal-parietal placentas; stigmas 5(6), subulate. Fruit a 5(6)-locular capsule, close to Leipoldtia type, stalked, always with persisting bracteoles, top with high or low valve rims, base mostly bowl-shaped, sometimes funnel-shaped; covering membranes undulate, more rarely straight, mostly elevated in centre, in several species with radial or tangential wings or other protrusions on them; closing bodies large, rarely small and 0 in one species; expanding keels broad, diverging and radial in distal part, reaching tip of valve; valves with or without mostly narrow valve wings. F lowering throughout the year with a peak in winter. D istinguishing characters: variable perennials, sometimes heterophyllous; leaves often rough-textured; 5-locular capsules with large, stalked, white closing bodies.