Common Firebush

Shrub to 1 m high, rusty-tomentose.

Leaves mostly oblong and 1–3 cm long, rarely lanceolate and to 5 cm long, 6–11 mm wide, margins entire or almost so; upper surface glabrous to finely pubescent with veins scarcely visible, lower surface white-tomentose and sprinkled with rusty-stellate hairs; petiole 3–6 mm long.

Cymes loose, c. as long as the leaves. Calyx 6–10 mm long, bluish to purplish, pubescent, lobes acute.

Fruit 5–7 mm diam., white-tomentose, mostly deeply 3–5-lobed with lobes separating at maturity; lobes usually 1-seeded, not readily dehiscent.