Description: Herb to ca 30 cm tall, much branched; stem 4-angular; nodes and petiole base purplish brown. Leaves opposite, eliptic or ovate, 1.5–3 cm long; apex acute or obtuse; base truncate or slightly cordate, oblique; basal veins 3, cuved towards apex; petioles 0.5–1.5 cm long. Flowers in axillary or terminal lax cymes, usually combined with solitary axillary flowers; pedicels slender, 1.5–3 cm long; open flowers 1.5–2 cm in diam. Calyx 5–6, divided to base, winged, kidney or heart shaped, 3–4 mm wide, tip beaked, slender ca 2 mm long. Petals violet, rarely white; 5–6 lobes, conate at base, imbricate; lobes broad elliptic, 7–8 mm long. Stamens 5–6, alternate with petals; filaments curved one side, shorter than anthers; anthers yellow, 3–4 mm long, curved, opening by apical pores. Ovary glabrous, slightly lobed. Style 1 or 3, slightly longer than stamens, curved opposite side with stamens; stigma capitate. |
