Plant 2–7 m. tall in flower, erect.. Stem unbranched, hollow, woody below.. Rosette-leaves marcescent, sessile, linear-lanceolate, 20–50 cm. long, 2.5–5.5 cm. wide, acute at the apex, ciliate at least towards the base, otherwise glabrous or, when young, shaggy pilose at the base on both sides; margin entire or subentire; venation protruding beneath with spreading lateral veins and reticulate tertiary venation.. Inflorescence unbranched, dense, up to 2 m. long; bracts, calyx and pedicels densely shaggy with long white or yellowish hairs; pedicels 4–7 mm. long; bracts drooping, linear-lanceolate, long-acuminate at the apex, 6–10 cm. long; bracteoles inserted at the base of the pedicel, minute.. Hypanthium obconical, 10-nerved.. Calyx-lobes linear, 15–23 mm. long, acuminate at the apex, entire.. Corolla 30–45 mm. long, blue, split to the base on the back, ± pubescent on outside and inside; lobes linear, the lateral ones somewhat more deeply split than the middle ones.. Filaments connate for most of their length and forming a firm tube, ± puberulous, free from the corolla.. Anther-tube 9–12 mm. long, glabrous on the back; 2 lower anthers barbate at the apex.. Ovary subinferior.. Capsule subglobose, 12–15 mm. long, with 2 valves.. Seeds broadly elliptic in outline, somewhat compressed, ± 1 mm. long, finely striate, brown.
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