Adromischus

Shrublets, rarely herbs with branches usually decumbent, rarely erect, carnose or sometimes slightly woody. Leaves spirally arranged but usually in dense clusters, sessile or petiolate, free, fleshy, persistent. Inflorescence usually a spike-like thyrse, rarely branched, with one to many monochasia each with 1(-5) flowers; peduncle present, with distinct bracts abruptly shorter than leaves; flowers erect or spreading (pendulous in A. phillipsiae), 5-merous. Calyx with 5 triangular, sharply acute lobes. Corolla fused into tube, and spreading lobes joined at base by a membrane. Stamens 10, in 2 whorls; filaments glabrous or minutely papillose and fused to lower third of corolla tube; anthers protruding or included, with terminal appendages spherical or almost so. Squamae 5, free. Carpels 5, usually free, gradually tapering into short styles. Seeds ellipsoid, with constrictions before abruptly widening at blunt proximal end, covered with vertical ridges and dense horizontal striations in grooves. x= 9 ( polyploidy).