Mitrophyllum

Loose shrubs or shrublets with a compact centre and long shoots; internodes woody or fleshy, often articulated; branches often decumbent. Leaves opposite, very large, 2 leaf pairs per season differing in length of basal sheath: first pair slightly united, flat above, rounded or keeled below; second pair a third to nearly completely united, forming a conical or cylindrical body, the connate one turning into a papery, parchment-like skin protecting the free one during dry months; minutely crystalline-papulose mainly towards tips. Flowers solitary or in lax cymes, terminal, pedicellate, bracteate, up to +/- 30 mm in diameter; opening at midday, closing in late afternoon. Sepals 5, subequal. Petals 3- or 4-seriate, white, yellow or pale violet-red. Stamens collected into a cone and spreading later, basally only rarely papillate. Nectary a crenate ring. Ovary flat on top with 5(-7) prominent ridges; placentation parietal; stigmas 5(-7), subulate, often slightly plumose. Fruit a 5(-7)-locular capsule, of Mitrophyllum type with or without covering membranes; with or without closing ledges or bosses. Seeds ovoid or pear-shaped. x = 9. F lowering from February to November. D istinguishing characters: shrubs with very large, oblong, floppy leaf pairs with papery leaf sheaths, borne on erect woody stems.