Stayneria

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 x 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. F lowering winter to early spring. D istinguishing 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.