Chaenostoma caeruleum (L.F.) Kornhall

An erect herb flowering in the first year but probably perennating, taproot eventually woody and up to c. 10 mm diam. at the crown, main stem erect to c. 1 m, eventually branching from the base, branches erect or decumbent, simple or branching, usually above the middle, into a corymbose panicle, glandular-pubescent, hairs up to 0.25-1 mm long, densely leafy, often with axillary leaf tufts. Leaves opposite, bases connate, primary leaves up to 6-30 x 1.5-11 mm, smaller upwards (axillary leaves also smaller) and passing into bracts, ± oblong, apex acute, base narrowed or not, margins usually with 1-5 pairs of small teeth, sometimes incise-dentate, both surfaces glandular-pubescent. Flowers opposite or subopposite to alternate, arranged in long terminal racemes eventually forming corymbose panicles. Bracts (lowermost) c. 2-8 x 1.5-4.5 mm, roughly as long as broad to twice as long as broad, ± ovate, acute, glandular-pubescent. Pedicels (lowermost) 7-16 mm long. Calyx obscurely bilabiate, tube 0.6-1.5 mm long, lobes 2-4.3 x 0.8-1.6 mm, lanceolate, densely glandular-pubescent, hairs up to 0.5-2 mm long. Corolla tube 3-4.5 x 2.5-3.5 mm in throat, broadly funnel-shaped, limb almost regular, 9-15 mm across, posticous lobes 2.5-5.5 x 2.5-5 mm, anticous lobe 3.2-6 x 2.5-5 mm, all suborbicular, shades of mauve or violet, rarely a white sport, tube yellow or orange, glandular-pubescent outside, hairs up to 0.5-1 mm long, clavate hairs inside all round throat. Stamens 4, all exserted, anthers 1-2 mm long, posticous filaments 2-3.8 mm long, anticous ones 3-4.8 mm. Stigma 2-3.7 mm long, exserted. Style 2-4 mm long, glandular-pubescent, hairs up to 0.5-1.5 mm long. Ovary 1.5-2.7 x 1-1.8 mm, hairy as the style and with glistening glands as well. Capsules 2-5.5 x 2-4 mm, hairs persisting near the apex. Seeds c. 0.5-0.75 x 0.3-0.5 mm, pallid or blue. Flowering has been recorded in all months, but peaks between July and October.