YASIN J. NASIR

Plant up to 50 cm tall. Stem and branches fistular, striate, scabrid with setose retrorse hairs. Leaves shortly petiolate. Lamina decurrent, 20-80 x 6-19 mm (including petiole), oblanceolate to broad lanceolate, acute to obtuse, hairy on both surfaces with subappressed hairs up to 1.0 mm long, arising from a swollen base. Pedicel 2-4 mm long. Calyx hairy, ± 2.5 mm long, ± nodding in fruit, divided in to linear-lanceolate lobes, nervose, accrescent, saucer-like and up to 12 mm in fruit. Corolla blue, 2-4 mm long, slightly exceeding calyx length, scales opposite; lobes, obtuse; tube c. 1.8 mm long, equalling or longer than limb. Anthers c. 0.5 mm long ovate. Style ± 0.5 mm, stigma subcapitate. Nutlets 2.5-3 mm long, laterally compressed, ellitic-ovoid, minutely tubercled, brownish yellow to brown.

Fl. Per.: March-May.

Type: Habitat in Europea ruderalis pinguibus, Hb. Linn 1891 (LINN).

Distribution: N. Africa, Asia and Europe.

Variable in the height of the plant and leaf size characfers. Usually found in and around cultivated areas or in hedge rows as a scrambler. The calyx in fruit is prominent. Found up to 4000 m.