Compilation
Nelsonia smithii

Perennial herb without central rootstock; stems usually trailing and ascending apically, but sometimes semi-erect when growing in dense vegetation, rooting at lower nodes, up to 50 cm long, puberulous to pubescent or sparsely so with thick (flat and collapsed when dry) many-celled curly hairs, sometimes with long thin pilose hairs intermixed on uppermost node. Leaves with petiole 0.5–3 cm long; lamina ovate to elliptic, below middle abruptly narrowed into an attenuate to cuneate or rounded base, largest 3.5–8.7≈1.8–4 cm, apex subacute to rounded; beneath subglabrous or with sparse to dense ± appressed thick hairs on veins, glabrous or with sparser hairs on lamina, above subglabrous or with scattered thick many-celled hairs. Spikes 1–4.5(–7) cm long, axis pilose; peduncle 2–5 mm long, densely pilose with long thin hairs and with long-stalked capitate glands; bracts elliptic or broadly so, 5–9≈3–5.5 mm, narrowing gradually or concave (with distinct “shoulders”) below the acute tip, puberulous and with few to many long pilose hairs and with usually dense long-stalked capitate glands; pedicel ± 0.5 mm long, with dense long pilose hairs. Sepals ± equal in length, 3.5–5.5 mm long, acute; dorsal elliptic; ventral narrowly elliptic and divided 1/4–1/3 down; lateral lanceolate; all with long pilose hairs (up to 3 mm long) all over or at base only and with stalked capitate glands towards apex. Corolla pink to mauve (rarely white or white with a pink tinge), subactinomorphic, ± hairy in throat; tube 2.5–4 mm long, narrowing slightly upwards and then widened into a short ventral pouch; lobes ± spreading, 2–3 mm long, slightly emarginate to rounded. Stamens held in the pouch, subsessile; anthers ± 0.5 mm long, thecae parallel, basal flanges absent or minute. Capsule 3.5–5 mm long, glabrous. Seeds numerous (usually over 20), ± 0.5 mm long.