Plants herbs, annual (or perennial), 30–50 cm, from taproot. Stems 1 or several-clustered, erect, suberect, or prostrate, sometimes much-branched from caudex, usually hairy. Leaves alternate or opposite, frequently opposite only proximally, petiolate; stipules narrowly lanceolate, 1–2 mm, sparsely ciliate to ciliate; petiole 0.5–4 mm; blade usually elliptic, lanceolate, or oblong, sometimes oblanceolate, widely elliptic, ovate, or obovate, 0.3–3 × 0.2–1.5 cm, base acute, attenuate, rounded, or obtuse, margins serrate, sparsely ciliate to ciliate, apex acute to obtuse, surfaces glabrous or pubescent or puberulent on midrib. Inflorescences usually 1-flowered, sometimes in poorly defined racemes; peduncle erect at anthesis, usually pendant in fruit, 7–24 mm, puberulent; bracteoles absent. Flowers: sepals appressed to corolla, narrowly lanceolate, rarely ovate to suborbiculate, subfalcate, margins sparsely ciliate to ciliate, apex acuminate, rarely round or obtuse; petals: upper white, oblong, 0.5 mm, margins ciliate, apex rounded, glabrous; laterals white, oblong to lanceolate, falcate, 1.5–1.8 mm, apex rounded or acute, glabrous; lowest white, usually with purplish veins, with basal purple patch, 1.5–3.7 mm, claw 1–1.5 × 0.5–0.7 mm (rarely absent), distal limb ± deltate, ± flat at anthesis, 1.2–1.4 mm wide, margins ciliate, apex retuse, glabrous or adaxial surface sparsely pubescent basally; presence of cleistogamous flowers not determined. Capsules ovoid to globose, 3–4 mm. Seeds (3–)6–9, black, ovoid, 1.5–1.7 mm. 2n = 12, 24.
Home