Flora of New Zealand Series

throatwort

Glabrous or almost glabrous herb. Stems to c. 50 cm tall. Petiole 5-10 mm long. Lamina 3-7 × 1.5-3.5 cm, ovate or ovate-elliptic, sometimes slightly hairy on veins below, strongly serrate or doubly serrate, often ciliolate; base cuneate; apex acute; lvs below infl. similar but smaller with shorter petiole. Infl. corymbose, to 10 cm diam.; fls very numerous. Bracts small, linear-subulate. Calyx c. 0.5 mm long; lobes narrow-triangular to triangular-ovate. Corolla deep blue; tube 4-5-(6) mm long, slender; lobes 1-2 mm long, ± elliptic. Stamens included. Style blue, exserted 3-5 mm; stigma ± capitate. Capsule c. 2 mm long, broad-obovoid. Seed c. 0.5 mm long, ellipsoid.

N.: Auckland City, Muriwai (Auckland area).

C. and W. Mediterranean 1980

Casual escape from cultivation along roadsides and on a cemetery wall.

FL Dec-Feb.