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Annual or perennial herbs, subshrubs or small shrubs. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, mostly sessile, simple, entire, dentate or rarely lobed or incised (but not in East Africa). Inflorescences panicle-, raceme-, spike-or head-like, or flowers solitary. Calyx-lobes (3–)5. Corolla ± deeply (3–)5-lobed, or split almost to the base, ± pubescent inside near the base, rarely with long slender hairs in the corolla-tube (but not in East Africa). Stamens (3–)5, free; filament-bases variously dilated or linear, usually ciliate. Ovary subinferior to rarely subsuperior, 2–5-locular; ovules many; style shorter or longer than the corolla, the upper part with pollen-collecting hairs, glabrous or hairy below, eglandular or with small glands present at or near the base of the 2–5 style-lobes. Capsule loculicidal, dehiscing by as many apical valves as there are loculi in the ovary. Seeds numerous, ± elliptic in outline; testa smooth or variously reticulate.
Herbs, perennial or annual, rarely subshrubs or shrubs. Leaves cauline and often basally rosulate, alternate or rarely opposite, usually sessile. Flowers small to medium-sized, sessile or pedicellate, terminal or axillary, solitary or in thyrses, panicles, or fascicles. Calyx lobes typically 5. Corolla blue or white, campanulate or funnelform, lobed, cleft, or divided; segments typically 5. Stamens typically 5; filaments free and distinct, dilated into a triangular base, dilated part ciliate; anthers coherent. Ovary inferior, 2-or 3(-5)-locular; stigma 2-or 3(-5)-fid, segments linear. Capsule loculicidal at apex. Seeds numerous or few.
Fls us. solitary; calyx (3)-5-(7)-lobed; corolla us. campanulate, regular, lobes as for calyx, valvate. Stamens free from corolla; filaments ± dilated at base. Ovary 2-5-loculed, ovules ∞, style cylindric, stigma 2-5-fid. Capsule apically loculicidally dehiscent. Perennial to annual herbs, of wide distribution, especially in southern hemisphere, with some 120 spp.
Ovary subinferior to rarely subsuperior, 2–5–lo.cular; ovules many; style shorter or longer than the corolla, the upper part with pollen–collecting hairs, glabrous or hairy below, eglandular or with small glands present at or near the base of the 2–5 style–lobes.
Corolla ± deeply (3–) 5–lobed, or split almost to the base, ± pubescent inside near the base, rarely with long, slender hairs in the corolla–tube (but not in the F.Z. area).
Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, mostly sessile, simple, entire, dentate or rarely lobed or incised.
Capsule loculicidal, dehiscing by as many apical valves as there are loculi in the ovary.
Stamens (3–) 5, free; filament–bases variously dilated or linear, usually ciliate.
Seeds numerous, ± elliptic in outline; testa smooth or variously reticulate.
Inflorescences panicle–, raceme–, spike– or head–like, or flowers solitary.
Annual or perennial herbs, subshrubs or small shrubs.
Calyx–lobes (3–) 5.
