Rostellularia procumbens (L.) Nees
Annual, diffusely branched, up to 30 cm, herb with procumbent to ascending strigose-hispid, sulcate branches. Leaves on c. 5 mm long petioles; lamina lanceolate-elliptic, 1-2 (-3) x 0.5-1 (-1.2) cm, scabrid above, glabrescent strigose hairy beneath, entire, acute at base and apex, drying dark green. Inflorescence a terminal, up to 2.5 cm long spike. Flower pink, c. 10 mm long; bracts obovate, c. 4 mm long, midrib broad, scarious-ciliate on margins; bracteoles lanceolate, slightly longer and broader than bracts, margins narrowly scarious-ciliate, acute. Calyx 4-lobed, rarely a 5th rudimentary lobe present, lobes lanceolate, c. 4 mm long, subequal, margins scarious-ciliate, acute. Corolla tube c. 3.5 mm long, narrow, upper lip nearly as long as tube, slightly notched; lower lip ± orbicular, c. 6 mm long, puberulous outside, 3-lobed. Staminal filaments c. 3 mm long, anthers oblong, c. 0.7 mm long. Ovary oblong, pubescent; style filiform, c. 4 mm long, Capsule oblong, as long as style, sparsely hairy, pointed. Seeds ± ovate, c. 1 mm long.
Fl. Per.: December-March.
Type: ‘Habitat in Zeylona’, Herb Linn. 28/14 (LINN).
Distribution: Australia, Malayasia India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.