Erect, decumbent or spreading perennial herb to 60 cm tall; stems 6-angular, shortly retrorse-pubescent. Leaves papery, ± broadly ovate, (2.3)3-9.5 x (1.4)2-5.2 cm, base broadly attenuate to obtuse or rounded, apex acute or attenuate, tip blunt and apiculate, surfaces shortly antrorse-pubescent, sparse at maturity; lateral veins 3-5 pairs; petiole (5)9-40 mm long. Inflorescences axillary and terminal, (1)2-3 umbels of 3-6 cymules per axil, sometimes crowded in upper axils and forming a verticillate spike interrupted by reduced leaves, sometimes with a cylindrical terminal 'head' to 3.5 cm long; umbel peduncle 1-7.5 mm long, retrorse-pubescent; main axis bracts oblanceolate or elliptic, more rarely linear-lanceolate, (3)5-11 x (0.5)1-3 mm, apex often acuminate, margin long-ciliate; longest cymule peduncle in each umbel 0.8-3.5 mm long; cymule bracts membranous, at first olive-green with usually inconspicuous pale 'windows' towards base, later turning somewhat scarious, rarely flushed purple towards apex, pairs unequal, ratio 1.15-1.55:1, larger bract (oblong-) obovate, 8-14.5 x 3.2-7 mm, apex obtuse, rounded or shortly attenuate, mucronate, surface 3-veined from base, margin and main veins long-pilose in basal half, antrorse-pubescent elsewhere externally, short glandular hairs sparse towards apex and on exposed internal surface of larger bract, rarely denser throughout; bracteoles pale-hyaline with pale green midrib and apex, lanceolate, 5.7-10.5 x 0.8-1.4 mm, apex caudate. Calyx lobes 3.5-6.7 mm long, glandular-and eglandular-puberulent, midrib of each lobe with longer eglandular hairs, margin long-ciliate. Corolla 16-24 mm long, limb purple or bright pink, eglandular-pubescent externally; tube 7.5-10.5 mm long; lip held in upper position oblong, 8-13.5 x 2.5-3 mm; lip held in lower position (oblong-)elliptic, 7.5-13.5 x 3.5-5.5 mm. Staminal filaments 7-11 mm long, sparsely hairy; anther thecae c.0.7 mm long, superposed. Style strigulose. Capsule 6-7.5 mm long, shortly pubescent with glandular and few eglandular hairs; placental base elastic. Only immature seeds seen, with verruciform or conical tubercules.
Home