Prickly Dianthus

Description

Compact, cushion-forming, woody based herb. Heterophyllous; summer leaves 15-20x0.5-1mm, linear-subulate, 3-angled, rigid; spring leaves straight, shorter, broader. Flowering stems to 10cm, exceeding leaves, minutely pubescent; spikes distichous; spikelets about 12mm, 1-flowered; outer bract to 5mm, oblong-ovate, mucronate, inner bract equalling calyx tube, mucronate or muticous; calyx about 1cm, funnelform, tube about 7mm, limb to 4mm, 10-lobed, nerves pubescent.