Compilation
Achyranthes villosa

Perennial herb, sometimes flowering in the first year, frequently more or less woody and suffrutescent below, erect to prostrate, decumbent or occasionally somewhat scandent, stiff or weak and straggling, (0.1) 0.3–2 m., with numerous stems from the base and these frequently also branched above. Stem and branches terete, striate, more or less densely lanate with whitish or yellowish, more or less shaggy hairs, more rarely tomentose or canescent. Leaves alternate, orbicular (not seen in the Flora Zambesiaca area) to lanceolate, spathulate or elliptic-ovate, shortly or more longly cuneate at the base with petioles from c. 2 cm. to obsolete, rounded and apiculate to acute at the apex, commonly densely lanate or canescent on the inferior surface and more thinly so above, rarely glabrous or (not seen in Flora Zambesiaca area) thickly lanuginose, those of the main stems c. 10–50 × 5–35 mm., those of the branches and inflorescence reducing and frequently becoming very small. Spikes sessile, solitary or usually in axillary clusters on the main stems or long to very short axillary branches, 0.4–1.5(2) × 0.3–0.4 cm., divergent, more or less cylindrical, silky, white to creamy, forming a long inflorescence which is leafy to the extreme apex and forms no terminal panicle even on the main stems; bracts (0.75) 1–1.25 mm., deltoid-ovate to oblong-ovate, hyaline with a short but distinct arista formed by the excurrent midrib, pilose, persistent; bracteoles similar or slightly smaller, also persistent. Flowers female, male or hermaphrodite. Tepals more or less densely lanate dorsally. Hermaphrodite flowers: outer 2 tepals hyaline, elliptic-oblong, more or less abruptly contracted at the apex to a distinct mucro formed by the excurrent nerve, 1–1.75(2) mm. long; inner 3 slightly shorter and narrower, acute with a broad central green vitta which extends for about three quarters the length of each tepal and is usually furnished with a thickened border; style short; stigmas short, patent or divergent; anthers perfect. Male flowers similar but the stigmas reduced and capitate or obsolete, scarcely papillose. Female flowers also similar, or commonly with the tepals longer and narrower, tapering above, the outer to c. 2.25 mm. long; stigmas longer and frequently equalling the style, linear, divergent or suberect; filaments reduced, anthers absent. Capsule c. 1 mm. long, circular, compressed; seed c. 0.6–0.8 mm. long, reniform, black, shining, the testa almost smooth in the centre, faintly reticulate around the margin.