Description: Herb, 20-80 cm tall; stems ridged; pubescent on stem, leaves, petioles, inflorescences and pedicels. Leaves alternate, elliptic to lanceolate, 2-6.5 cm long; apex acute; base cuneate; margin ciliate; petioles short. Racemes axillary or terminal, 2-9 cm long; flowers lax, 10-20; pedicels 2.5-5 mm; bracts 3, persistent, unequal, ovate, 1.5-2 mm long. Sepals 5, persistent, ciliate; outer sepals 3, unequal, upper one boat-shaped, 2-4 mm, 2 lower ones ovate to ovate-oblong 1.5-3 mm; inner 2 petaloid, broadly elliptic, 4-5 mm long, to 7 mm in fruit. Petals 3, connate lower half, violet-pink; 2 upper ones spathulate, 3-4 mm long, hairy at base, auriculate 2.5-3 mm; keel cucullate, slightly longer than the upper ones, enclosing stamens and stigma, ciliate, apex 2-lobed with 1 mm brush-like appendages. Stamens 8, forming an staminal sheath, adnate to petals, 3.5-5 mm long; anthers ovoid. Ovary ovoid, ca 1.5 mm; style curved; stigmas 2-lobed. Capsule broadly elliptic, ca. 5 mm, shallowly emarginate with narrow wing, ciliate. Seeds black, oblong, 3.5-4 mm long, densely hairy; aril shallowly 3-lobed. |
