Description: Shrub to 2 m tall. Leaves alternate, oblong to lanceolate, 2–13 cm long, glaucous and sparsely hairy below; petioles 0.7–1.5 cm. Inflorescences racemose, terminal or axillary, pendulose, simple or clustered up to 10 racemes, 2–14 cm long; bracts 3, 0.3–1 cm long, caducous; flowers dense. Sepals 5; outer sepals 3, 2 lower ones oblong, 2.5–3 mm long, upper boat-shaped, 4–6 mm long; 2 inner sepals obovate, slightly cucullate, ca 1.5 cm long. Petals 3, white, yellow or violet; upper petals connate, 1.4–2 cm long; keel cucullate, ca as long as the upper petals, enclosing stamens and style, apex 2–lobed, with 4–8 appendages. Stamens 8; connate in a stamina sheath and adnate to the corolla, ca as long as the petals. Ovary 2-locular, ca 2 mm in diam.; style 1.7– 2 cm, gradually broadening and curved, apex 2-labiate; stigma in labium. Capsule 8–9 mm in diam., winged. Seeds black, sparsely pubescent; aril irregularly lobed. |
