Lithospermum arvense L.
corn gromwell
Densely hairy annual with erect, branched or simple stems, to c. 50 cm high. Basal lvs shortly petiolate, to 5 × 1 cm, oblong or nearly so; hairs slightly appressed, with pulvinate bases above; apex obtuse to acute; upper lvs sessile, smaller, linear or linear-oblong. Cymes short, < leafy bracts. Calyx divided ± to base; lobes linear or linear-lanceolate, to c. 1 cm long at fruiting, with spreading hairs. Corolla scarcely > calyx, c. 5-10 mm long; limb c. 3-4 mm diam., white or whitish, glabrous outside except near base. Stamens inserted below middle of corolla tube. Nutlets 3-3.5 × 2-2.5 mm, ovoid-trigonous, tuberculate, greyish brown.
N.; S.: scattered localities from the Waikato to Otago, usually rare.
Eurasia 1867
Waste ground, especially around railway sidings.
FL Oct-Nov.
Several subspp. of this variable sp. have been described but the N.Z. plants seem to correspond to the type subsp. The sp. is often known in Europe as Buglossoides arvensis (L.) I. M. Johnston.
