Erect annual or biennial herb, strigose with spreading unpleasantly hispid white bristly hairs, 15–60 cm. tall, with ± woody tap-root; stems much branched, ± woody at the base.. Leaves elliptic or oblong, 1.7–7 cm. long, 0.25–1.8 cm. wide, ± acute at the apex, narrowed to the base, densely covered with bulbous-based bristly hairs on both surfaces; petiole 0–3 mm. long.. Cymes raceme-like in terminal inflorescences up to 20 cm. long in fruit, densely spreading hispid all over; pedicels 0.8(–2.5) cm. long, elongating to mostly 1.5 cm. in fruit, sometimes red at the apex.. Calyx-lobes linear-lanceolate, 5–6(–7) mm. long, densely hispid with bulbous-based hairs on both sides, very slightly enlarging in fruit.. Corolla white with pale blue centre, brilliant blue or blue to mauve with red tinge; tube 2–3 mm. long; limb 1.6 cm. wide the lobes ovate-lanceolate, 4.5–7 mm. long, 5 mm. wide, pubescent on midrib outside and inside across the base.. Anthers yellow or purple, 3 mm. long, the appendages brown or blackish, 3–4 mm. long, pubescent on back, thecae narrow, widely separated.. Style dull mauve, 7–8 mm. long.. Nutlets pale brown, obliquely pyramidal, 3.5–4 × 2.5 mm., angled and densely verrucose.. Fig. 23.
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