A perennial herb woody at base, upto 90 cm tall, glabrous or rarely slightly pubescent. Main stem prostrate and rooting at nodes, other branches erect. Leaves ovate, 4-7 x 2.5-4.5 cm, acute or obtuse, glabrous or hairy on nerves beneath, margin ciliate, base truncate, cordate or rounded, membranous, petiole 5-8 cm long, margin hairy. Flowers blue, purple or white 3-4 cm across, pedicel 1.7-4 cm long, glabrous. Calyx tube campanulate; lobes 6-15 mm long, with long ciliate margin, narrowly lanceolate, Corolla tube almost equal to the calyx lobes, enlarged above the middle; lobes rhomboid or obovate 1.2-2.5 x 1-2 cm. Stigma capitate; style c. 1.5 cm long. Disc. scaly.

Fl. Per.: December-March.

Type: Described from France and Spain. (Herb. Linn. 299/3).

Distribution: W. Mediterrenian, Asia Minor. Naturalized in Pakistan or else-where.

Sometimes cultivated in the gardens.