Astridia

Robust, erect shrublets; internodes shorter than leaves; young parts variably minutely pubescent, or glabrous. Leaves ascending or spreading, usually decurrent, bluntly triquetrous, often subfalcate to falcate, usually 30-60 mm long, 10-30 mm in diameter, with sheath 2-6 mm long, greyish green, persistent; epidermis with convex cells or +/- distinctly papillate. Flowers solitary or 3 together, lateral ones developing after marked interval, large, shortly pedunculate, opening in daytime; bracts embracing receptacle. Sepals 6, unequal, inner ones subulate, with membranous margins. Petals with outer ones longer, 1- or 2-seriate, inner ones narrower, 2- or 3-seriate, white, lemon, orange, pink or various shades of purple and red, centre often differently coloured. Stamens and staminodes in 6-8 series, conically collected, coloured, outer ciliately papillate in lower part, inner ones more densely papillate near middle. Nectary a crenulate ring. Ovary: apical lobes distant, acutely or obtusely compressed, rarely reaching nectary; placentas parietal; stigmas 6, subulate-caudate, rarely exceeding height of stamens. Fruit a 6-locular capsule of Ruschia type, obconic below; sutures strongly compressed; expanded valves widely spreading, wingless; expanding keels parallel below, diverging upwards, aristate; closing bodies and covering membranes well developed, with 2 processes or additional closing devices on underside near exit, obconical. Seeds covered with long, brown, papillate hairs, shortly echinate, tuberculate or muricate. x = 9. F lowering mainly in late summer. D istinguishing characters: robust perennials, erect, woody with large grey-green, smooth or textured leaves; sheathing stems at their partially fused bases; flowers large, solitary with bracts just below them; seeds echinate, tuberculate or hairy.