Erect slender herbs to 4 dm. tall, sometimes subligneous near the base; branches with minutely tomentose lines decurrent from the paired nodes above. Leaves oblong-elliptic, acute at the apex, cuneate-attenuate at the base, 0.4-6.0 cm. long, 0.2-1.1 cm. wide, sessile or subsessile, both surfaces glabrous, the primary lateral veins inconspicuous, the margin minutely ciliate. Flowers decussate, solitary; pedicels 4-13 mm. long, bracteoles absent. Hypanthium subampullaceous, 5.5-8.0 mm. long, median diameter 1.5-2.5 mm., transverse at the orifice, gibbous at the base, minutely puberulent, the posterior calyx lobe enlarged. Petals 6, the 2 posterior 2.5-4.5 mm. long, 1.5-2.0 mm. wide, the 2 anterior 3.0-5.5 mm. long, 1.5-2.5 mm. wide; violet. Stamens 11, the anterior 9 equal, included, the lower half of the filaments pubescent; disc cupuliform, split anteriorly. Ovary broadly ovoid, 2.5-3.25 mm. long, villous; style 1-2 mm. long, villous, included. Seeds 24-36, suborbicular, around 1 mm. long, 0.75 mm. wide, emarginate.
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