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slightly exceed the corolla lobes; stamens 2, equal, the filaments inserted about 1/3 the way up the corolla tube, pubescent on the lower 1/2 (including adnate portion), tape-like below, tapering just above the point of insertion, anthers connate, oblong, 1 mm long, dehiscing longitudinally, staminodes 3, equal, con-sisting of filaments which resemble those of the stamens for the adnate portion, tapering to an apex 1 mm above the point of insertion, the filaments of stamens and staminodes coherent by marginal hairs to form a closed cone over the ovary; ovary ellipsoidal, 2 mm long, constricted around the middle, the style straight, the stigma punctiform, exserted as long as the longest corolla appendage. Fruit a globose capsule with a small but manifest apicule, dehiscent by a single, elevated suture which transverses the apex, and sometimes (on herbarium sheets) by other longitudinal slits; seed 0.6 mm long, a pyramidal frustum, ferrugineous, minutely striate with tuberculate in rows.
Corolla whitish, greenish-yellow, pale blue to violet or bluish-green to purplish, occasionally the tube blackish-purple and the limb green, 6–8 mm long, narrowly tubular, strongly nerved, sparingly pubescent only distally; limb 1.5–2 mm across; lobes unequal, the upper 2 longer than the 3 lower ones, or ± equal, 0.2–0.5 mm long, obtusely deltate to semi-circular, ciliolate; appendages at the puberulous sinuses 2–5, equal to unequal, cup-shaped, glandular, slightly exceeding the lobes or not.
Stamens 2, tapering upwards from a tape-like base, attached a third of the way up the corolla tube; filaments 0.5–3 mm long, pubescent on the lower half including the adnate portion; anthers 0.8–1 mm long, oblong, connate; staminodes 3, resembling the filaments, 1–1.5 mm long; these and the filaments cohering by marginal hairs forming a closed cone over the ovary.
Leaves membranous or papyraceous, decreasing in size toward the stem apex, becoming minute, narrowly oblong, sessile bracts on the inflorescences, basally tapering into a petiole up to 8 mm long, densely pubescent to subglabrous; lamina 0.7–3.7 × 0.3–1.8 cm, ovate to obovate, apically acute to rounded, with 3–4 pairs of lateral nerves.
Inflorescences scapose, elongate, many-flowered; peduncle 2–12 cm long; pedicels (1)2–4(5) mm long, filiform, pubescent or glabrous, erect or ± curved, slightly longer in fruit, with a conspicuous articulation near the base.
An annual herb or small shrub. It grows 1 m tall. It is woody at the base. The leaves are alternate. The leaves are 4 cm long by 2.5 cm wide. The upper leaves are smaller. The flowers are white and at the top of the stem.
Erect or ascending, annual or perennial herb 0.3–0.7(1) m high, sometimes many-stemmed, often not very branched, glabrous or ± pubescent on the young parts with antrorse curved hairs.
Fruit ± pale brown, 3.5–4.5 × 2.5–4.5 mm, ± globose or ovoid, apiculate, dehiscent by a single elevated suture at the apex, with an orbicular placenta in the centre.
Calyx 2–4 mm long, tubular, 4–5-lobed, strongly nerved, sparingly pubescent inside and outside; lobes 0.2–0.8 mm long, acute or acuminate.
Seeds dull black or ferrugineous, 0.6–0.8 mm long, forming a pyramidal frustule, minutely striate with rows of tubercles.
Ovary 1–2 mm long, ellipsoid, constricted around the middle; style 3–6 mm long, straight, exserted.
Branches terete, striate, often spreading from or near the base upwards.
Erect slender-branched herb 1-3 ft. high
Flowers greenish-yellow
Weed of cultivation.
