Information

Annual or perennial herb 15–60 cm high. Stem simple or branched near inflorescence, 2-ridged. Leaves somewhat fleshy, midrib impressed above, prominent beneath; basal leaves in a rosette, deciduous, oblong-lanceolate or oblong-elliptic, 1.5–6 cm long, 0.5–0.8 cm wide, subacute; cauline leaves linear, narrowly lanceolate or elliptic, 30–43 mm long, 3–6 mm wide, subacute, decurrent. Inflorescences terminal, in a head-like cyme; bracts subtending inflorescence linear, elliptic or subovate, 7–10 mm long, 1–3 mm wide, subobtuse. Flowers sessile, pink, mauve, blue-violet to white. Calyx unequal; lateral sepals oblong-elliptic, 3.2–3.7 mm long, 1–1.2mm wide, strongly keeled; dorsal sepal oblong-obovate, 3.2–3.5 mm long, ± 2.4 mm wide, emarginate or slightly 3-lobed. Corolla tube ± 3 mm long, basally hyaline, scabrid-denticulate inside; lobes elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, 1.8–2.6 mm long, 1–1.2 mm wide, acute. Filaments ± 1.8–2 mm long, linear; anthers cylindric to ovoid, 0.8–0.9 mm long, minutely apiculate. Ovary slightly ellipsoid, 1.5 mm long, 0.8–1.2 mm diameter; style ± 2.4 mm long; stigma with two linear branches, ± 1.4 mm long. Capsule ellipsoid, 2–3.4 mm long, 2 mm diameter. Seeds minute, surface pitted. Fig. 10 (p. 37).