Stoeberia

Sturdy shrubs, or even trees (Von Breitenbach 1990: 30) up to 3 m tall and 3.5 m wide, usually with a solitary main stem; branches succulent at first, soon becoming woody. Leaves decussate, slightly connate at base, boat-shaped or somewhat clavate, with somewhat flattened upper surface and keeled towards apex, mucronate; epidermal cells convex, stomata slightly sunken. Flowers many (up to 50), in dense, rounded, compound dichasia, pedicellate, bibracteate; bracts club-shaped. Sepals 5 or 6, triangular. Petals +/- 1-seriate, short, white to light-pink. Stamens and staminodes papillate at base, in a dense cone. Nectary a crenulate ring. Ovary top-shaped; placentas parietal; stigmas 5(6), short, slightly plumose. Fruit a 5(6)-locular capsule, nearest Ruschia type, top-shaped, upper part domed; valve margins slightly raised in most species; locules deep and wide; valves opening once; valve wings broad, sclerotinised; closing bodies absent or present. Seeds flat to pear-shaped and shortly winged; testa cells vaulted, rough; dispersed by wind (anemochoric). F lowering winter to spring. D istinguishing characters: shrublets or large bushes; fruit with hard valve wings, and recurved valve rims, not closing completely once they have opened.