3. Nonea caspica (Willd.) G. Don, Syst. 4:336. 1838. Riedl in Rock. Iran. 48:250.1967; Kazmi, l.c. 671.
YASIN J. NASIR
An ascending to ± erect annual up to 25 cm tall. Stem (-s) and branches hairy. Shorter hairs slender, up to 0.6 mm long, mixed with longer stouter ones 1-2 mm long and arising from a swollen base. Leaves linear-lanceolate to ovate-lanceolate, rarely obtuse, 25-100 x 5-22(-28) mm, hairy especially on upper surface, entire to subdenticulate or crisp. Inflorescence elongating in fruit. Flowers red, turning a deep blue on fading, 6-9 mm long, Calyx 5.5-6.5 m long, 1/3rd to 1/2 partite, accrescent and up to 12 mm in fruit, densely pubescent; lobes linear-lanceolate. Corolla 6-7 mm long, cylindrical or funnel-form, regular or sometimes irregular, the limb distinct or not. Lobes obtuse, entire to crenulate, annulus densely hairy. Anthers c. 1.2 mm long, attached c. 4 mm from corolla base. Style up to 3.5 mm long. Stigma obscurely 2-fid. Nutlets transversely oblong, 2.5-4 mm, dark brown to black, back rugulose, pilose, often freckled white. Basal ring 1-1.5 mm broad, ridge denticulate with 14-18 minute teeth.
A very variable species as regards the leaf and corolla shape and flower colour. Riedl (1963, p. 527, 529) recognises 4 sub-species of which 3 occur in our area of distribution (key after Riedl, 1963).
