Small to straggling perennial with stems up to 3 m. in length, though usually far less, often only 15–20 cm. long, procumbent or erect, moderately branched, often red tinged.. Leaves in verticils of 3–7, sometimes opposite, deep green above, pale green beneath; petiole (0.7–)1–4.5 cm. long, with several ± 1–2 mm. long fimbriae towards the top; lamina ovate, elliptic or oblong, 2.5–13(–15) cm. long, 1.2–4(–4.8) cm. broad, the base cuneate, the apex acute-acuminate, glabrous or finely pubescent on both surfaces; lateral veins 4–8 pairs, prominent beneath; margin ± serrate, the basal teeth slender.. Inflorescence a 1–5(–6)-flowered subumbellate raceme; flowers scarlet or sealing-wax red.. Peduncle 0.8–5(–6.2) cm. long, ± upright, glabrous or sparsely pubescent.. Bracts linear-lanceolate, 3–4 mm. long, acute, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, crowded, usually many more than the number of flowers in the inflorescence.. Pedicels 1.6–3.2 cm. long, slender, generally glabrous.. Lateral sepals 2, linear-lanceolate, 3–5 mm. long, acute, glabrous.. Lower sepal narrowly bucciniform, 8–14 mm. long, gradually tapering into an incurved spur, 22–29 mm. in length overall, the spur-tip swollen, rounded.. Dorsal petal 8–11 mm. long, 4–7 mm. broad, cucullate, dorsally with a narrow crest terminating in a short acute point.. Lateral united petals 10–14 mm. long, the upper petal of each pair slightly smaller than the lower; upper petal transversely oblong, 6–8 mm. long, 3–5 mm. broad, the apex shortly apiculate; lower petal oblong, 7–9 mm. long, 4–5 mm. broad, apiculate along the inner margin.. Ovary glabrous.. Fruit unknown.. Fig. 4/56, p. 8.
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