Table 1 A in A taxonomic revision of Thesium section Hagnothesium (Santalaceae) and description of a new species, T. quartzicolum *

Table 1 A summary of morphological and ecological features used to delimit members of Thesium section Hagnothesium. Question mark (?) indicates unavailable data.
T. fragileT. fruticulosumT. hirtumT. leptostachyumT. longicauleT. microcarpumT. minusT. quartzicolumLife formPerennialPerennialPerennialAnnualPerennialPerennialAnnualAnnualGrowth exposureHeath–likeUnder shrubsUnder shrubs?Heath–likeUnder shrubsUnder shrubsHeath–likeMale and femaleSimilarDissimilarDissimilar?DissimilarSimilarDissimilarSimilarRoot systemWoody taprootSlender fibrousSlender fibrous?SlenderSlender fibrousRhizome fibrousSlender fibrousfibrousPlant height (cm)21–4018–319–25?20–3022–385–108–15Plant surfaceGlabrousGlabrousScabridGlabrousSubglabrousGlabrousGlabrousGlabrousStem diameter (mm)1.3–42–3.51–3?1–30.9–30.5–1.21.3–3Stem transverse sectionSulcateSulcateSulcateSulcateSulcateTereteSulcateTereteBranching patternVirgateFastigiateVirgate?VirgateFastigiateFastigiateVirgateNumber of branches4–105–154–12?3–125–124–123–10Branch distributionSparinglyDense at basalDense at basal?SparinglyDense at distalDense at basalSparinglyportionportionportionportionMale internode length8–120.5–40.7–1.60.5–34–102–6.52.5–83–6.5(mm)Female internode2–130.5–30.7–1.5?1–53.5–7.51.5–2.54–8length (mm)Leaf shapeScale-like toLinearLanceolateLanceolateAcicularScale–like toLinearScale–likeabsentabsentLeaf density at baseSparseDenseDense?DenseSparseDenseSparseMale leaf length (mm)1–2.53–5.32.4–6?5–101–22–61–2Female leaf length1–2.25.6–106–12.7?8–17.930.5–1.57.5–12.81–1.5(mm)Male leaf breadth (mm)0.6–1.20.5–1.10.5–1.5?0.4–0.80.6–1.20.5–10.5–0.8Female leaf breadth0.5–1.21––31–2.3?0.5–1.50.5–1.20.2–0.90.5–0.8(mm)Leaf midribNot raisedRaisedNot raisedNot raisedRaisedNot raisedNot raisedNot raisedLeaf marginEntire orEntireScabridEntireEntireEntireEntireCartilaginouscartilaginousLeaf margin textureCartilaginousNot cartilaginousCartilaginous?CartilaginousNot cartilaginousNot cartilaginousCartilaginousBract shapeTriangularLanceolateLanceolate?LanceolateLanceolateLanceolateTriangularBract midrib aspectNot raisedNot raisedRaised?Not raisedNot raisedRaisedNot raisedBract length (mm)0.7–1.52–6.41.8–5?5–101–1.52.5–5.30.8–3Bract breadth (mm)0.5–1.31–21.2–2.9?2–2.50.4–10.5–1.20.8–2.3Bracts and bracteolesScale-likeLeaf-likeLeaf-likeLeaf-likeLeaf-likeScale-likeLeaf-likeScale-likeBracteole shapeTriangularLanceolateLinearTriangularLinearTriangularLanceolateTriangularBracteole length (mm)0.5–1.21.1–4.21.1–3.2?3–4.20.6–11.5–3.20.7–2.5Bracteole breadth (mm)0.4–1.20.8–20.5–2.5?0.5–20.3–10.5–1.50.5–1.6Bracteole textureThickThinThickThickThinThickThinThinBracteole midribRaisedRaisedRaisedNot raisedNot raisedNot raisedRaisedNot raisedBracteole marginEntireEntireScabrid?EntireEntireEntireSerratedtextureBract/flower lengthShorter thanLonger thanLonger thanLonger thanLonger thanShorter thanLonger thanShorter thanflowerflowerflowerflowerflowerflowerflowerflowerFlower length (mm)0.8–21–2.50.7–2?2–3.72.3–41–2.52.5–5Flower breadth (mm)0.6–20.8–1.50.8–1.8?0.7–1.53.8–4.80.5–1.32.2–4Perianth lobe shapeTriangularTriangularLanceolate?LanceolateOvateLanceolateTriangularPerianth lobe length0.5–10.5–1.20.5–1.5?0.5–1.32–2.90.6–1.42–3.1(mm)Perianth lobe breadth0.4–0.80.5–0.90.7–1.5?0.5–0.91.8–3.40.5–0.81–2(mm)Perianth lobe tipObtuseAcuteAcute?AcuteAcuteAcuteAcuteFruit elaiosomePresentShort to absent??AbsentAbsentPresentAbsentFruit colourWhiteGreenGreen?GreenWhiteGreenGolden–greenFruit shapeTruncateOvoidOvoidOvoidOvoidOvoidOvoidGloboseFruit ribs5-ribbed10-ribbed10-ribbed?10-ribbedRibs absent10-ribbedribs absentFruit length (mm)2–3.41.5–32–3?1.8–2.52–3.21.3–2.81.5–3Fruit diameter (mm)1.8–2.71.2–2.52–2.5?1.6–21–21–3.21–2.24Persistent perianth lobeOrangeGreenGreen?Green?GreenGolden–greencolourSubstrateSand duneSandstoneSandstone/deep?SandstoneShale andSandstone/deepQuartz–silcretesandsandstonesand