Poranthera oreophila

Compact perennial herb to c. 15 cm high, glabrous; stems dying down to rootstock annually, often somewhat glaucous. Leaves opposite; petioles to 0.5 mm long; lamina narrow-ovate to narrow-obovate, 4–7 mm long, 1.8–4 mm wide, acute to obtuse, margins flat or recurved; petiole 0.2–0.5 mm long; stipules entire, membranous, to c. 1 mm long. Inflorescences compact racemes, c. 3–8 mm across at anthesis; rachis barely elongating post-anthesis; bracts ovate-lanceolate, to c. 1 mm long. Sepals usually 5, obovate, c. 1 mm long, white. Petals 5, oblanceolate, c. 0.5 mm long, white. Male flowers with 5 stamens, filaments free; female flowers with 3 deeply 2-partite styles, pedicels of female flowers elongating to c. 7 mm in fruit. Capsule 1.7–2.2 mm diam., 3-lobed; seeds wedge-shaped, 0.9–1 mm long, smooth, pale brown or white. Flowers mostly Dec.–Feb.