Herb, mostly 100-400 mm high, either annual or persisting for more than one season, taproot eventually woody, up to 4 mm diam., stem initially simple, erect, soon branching from the base, side branches often decumbent, simple or branched, clad in retrorse white hairs, leafy, often with axillary leaf tufts. Leaves extremely variable, mostly 13-40(-60) x 1-6(-10) mm, spreading, linear to elliptic, apex subacute, base narrowed in broader leaves and then sometimes petiole-like, margins either entire (usually but not always in the narrower leaves) or obscurely to prominently toothed, teeth patent, occasionally glabrous, usually sparsely to densely pilose. Flowers opening at dusk or in dull light and then sweetly scented, few to many in a spike, often short and dense, elongating in fruit. Bracts adnate to calyx for 1.5-4 mm, resembling the upper leaves. Calyx 6-11 mm long, lips 4-6 mm long, usually with at least a few hairs on the upper margins, keels sparsely to densely pilose. Corolla tube 25-35(-40) mm long, glandular-puberulous, hairs up to 0.1-0.2 mm long, limb held horizontally, regular; mouth with circlet of long unicellular hairs, sometimes poorly developed or developed on one side only; lobes (3-)4-7(-8) mm long, deeply notched, red and glandular-puberulous outside, white inside, either eglandular or with minute glands on the claw. Stamens 4, 2 anticous anthers 1.2-1.8 mm long, shortly exserted, 2 posticous ones 2.5-3.5 mm long, included. Stigma 5-7 mm long, usually exserted. Capsule 6-12 x 4 mm. Seeds c. 1-1.3 x 0.8 mm, angled, colliculate, pallid. Flowers mainly between July and October, but as early as March and as late as December.
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Annual or perennial herb, up to 400 mm high; branches often with leaf tufts in axils. Leaves variable, linear to elliptic, spreading. Flowers in an often short and dense spike, lengthening in fruit. Corolla: tube up to 40 mm long; limb regular; mouth with long hairs all or partway round; lobes deeply notched, sometimes glandular on lobe claw. Flowering time July-Oct.
Annual or short-lived perennial, 100-400 mm tall, stems with retrorse hairs. Leaves usually hairy. Flowers in a spike, corolla tube 25-40 mm long, lobes deeply notched, white inside and red outside, opening at dusk and then scented, stamens 4.
Annual or short-lived perennial, stems with retrorse hairs. Leaves usually hairy. Flowers in a spike, tube 25-40 mm long, lobes deeply notched, white inside and red outside, opening at dusk and then scented, stamens 4.
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