dense and ramous ; branches erect ; branchlets, petioles, leaves 
beneath, peduncles and sepals densely clothed with a white or 
buff appressed thick tomentum. Leaves one and a half to 
three inches long, narrow-obovate, oblong-obovate, or oblan- 
ceolate, always narrowed into the petiole, obtuse or subacute, 
coriaceous, convex and bright green above, margins recurved; 
petiole one-quarter to three-quarters inch long. lowers 
variable in size and arrangement, terminal, sometimes solitary, 
but usually in nodding peduncled umbels, or becoming 
fascicled through the shortening of the peduncle, one-third 
to two-thirds inch long; peduncle and pedicels. slender ; 
bracts sheathing the base of the peduncle, oblong, obtuse, 
imbricate, caducous. Sepals elliptic, variable in breadth, 
white, about half the length of the petals. Petals narrow 
linear oblong, recurved beyond the middle, dark chocolate- 
purple, edges puberulous. Filaments glabrous ; anthers linear. 
Ovary pubescent, obovoid, densely pubescent, usually 3-celled. 
Capsule very variable in size and thickness, one-third to two- 
thirds inch in diameter, 2-4-valved, tomentose; valves 
usually woody. Seeds numerous, black.—/. D. H. 
Fig. 1, Petal; 2, stamen; 8, ovary; 4, transverse section of ditto :—all 
magnified ; 9, fruit :—of the natural size. 
