Nelsia

Erect annual or perennial herbs. Leaves opposite on simple or branched stems, entire, subsessile. Inflorescences sessile or pedunculate, spike-like, densely silky-hairy, terminal or axillary bracteate thyrses; each bract subtending a bibracteolate partial inflorescence of usually 2 bisexual flowers accompanied by 1 or 2 lateral bracteolate triads of a central fertile flower subtended by 2 modified sterile flowers consisting of long, narrowly bracteoliform, plumose-pilose processes, some short and scale-like; the whole falling as a burr-like unit in fruit; bracts persistent on inflorescence axis. Tepals 5, narrow, linear-lanceolate, 3-nerved, pilose, mucronate, margin hyaline. Stamens 5; filaments filiform, delicate, connate below and with intermediate flabellate pseudostaminodes; anthers narrow, 2-thecous. Ovary +/- compressed, glabrous; ovule solitary, from apex of a long basal funicle; style slender, stigma 1, minutely capitate. Capsule scarcely compressed, apex concave with a distinct raised rim, thin-walled, indehiscent. Seed brown, smooth and shining, finely reticulate; perisperm/endosperm copious.