Polyprenum procumbens L., juniperleaf. Polyprenum procumbens — JUNIPERLEAF [Scrophulariaceae/Buddlejaceae] Perennial herb, taprooted, not rosetted, many–stemmed at base, branched at each node, in range < 30 mm tall; shoots with only cauline leaves, at each node forming 2 axillary shoots but 1 growing immediately and other delayed, producing a fork at each node in canopy, essentially glabrous.

Stems

Stems 6–ridged, to 1 mm diameter at base of shoots, with 3 ridges descending from each leaf, internodes mostly 13—20 mm long, with minute bumps along ridge.

Leaves

Leaves opposite decussate, simple, short–petiolate fused across node, without stipules; petiole indistinct; blade linear, < 9—16 × 0.8—1 mm, entire and minutely toothed to short–hairy on margins, acute at tip, 1–veined slightly raised on lower surface, lower surface with minute teeth along midrib.

Inflorescence

Inflorescence leafy cyme = canopy with sessile terminal flower then 2 overtopping axillary shoots with 1 internode and node, a terminal flower, bracteate, glabrous; peduncle = internode; bractlets 2, opposite and ⊥ to leaves at node, initially equal, leaflike, linear, 2 mm long = flower, subsequently unequal.

Flower

Flower bisexual, radial, 3—3.5 mm across; receptacle inverted pyramidal 4–sided and conspicuously 4–ribbed, 0.7—0.8 mm long, green; calyx 4–lobed; tube short, membranous; lobes ovate, 1.4—1.5 × 0.8 mm increasing to 2 mm long in fruit, green rib with overlapping, wide membranous margins, with minute teeth on green margins and along rib; corolla 4–lobed, white; tube + throat barrel–shaped, ca. 1.3 × 1 mm, outer surface glabrous, inner surface with a ring of straight white hairs leaning inward concealing corolla orifice, the hairs 0.35—0.4 mm long; lobes widely spreading, tonguelike, 1.4—1.5 × 0.9—1 mm; stamens 4, attached at midpoint of corolla tube + throat, included below hairs of corolla; filaments ascending, cylindric, 0.4 mm long; anthers dorsifixed, dithecal, 0.4 mm long, tannish, longitudinally dehiscent; pollen tannish; pistil 1, 0.—1 mm long; ovary superior, mitre–shaped 4–sided, green, faintly 2–lobed, 2–chambered, each chamber with many ovules; style short, green; stigma terminal, 0.2—0.25 mm long, pale green.

Fruit

Fruit capsule, loculicidal, 2–lobed, many–seeded, obovoid slightly compressed ⊥ septum, ca. 2 × 1.5 mm, with short beak in shallow notch at top.

Seed

Seed ovoid, ± 0.3 mm long, inconspicuously bumpy.

A. C. Gibson