Stem(-s) up to 50 cm tall, densely hairy; hairs unequal, the longer once up to 3 mm long, arising from a swollen base; hairs on leaves similar. Basal leaves elliptic-lanceolate to lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate. Flowers terminal or axillary, in scorpioid cymes, bracteate; bracts leafy, but smaller and narrower. Pedicels up fruit; dense strigosely hairy. Calyx 10-11 mm long, 5-partite into linear-lanceolate lobes, densely hairy. Corolla reddish purple, 12-15 mm long; tube straight; limb up to 8 mm broad; lobes obtuse; throat with 5 groups of papillose hairs. Anthers the same level as the hairs, 2.5-3 mm long, narrow ovate, attached c. 7 mm from tube base. Nutlets 3.5-4 mm long, erect, reticulate-rugose, tuberculate.

Fl. Per.: April-May.

Type: Described from material cultivated at Chelsea Physic Garden.

Distribution: Europe, N. Africa, Turkey, Syria, Caucasus, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir.

The gathering A. Rashid 26999 from Kashmir is tentatively placed here. In size of leaves (44 x 8 cm) it comes close to Anchusa strigosa var. macrophylla (Bornm.) H. Riedl. Hybrids between Anchusa strigosa and Anchusa azurea are known (Chamberlain, l.c. 394, in nota). Following Chamberlain (l.c. 393), the above mentioned specimen with dimorphic hairs might be Anchusa azurea var. macrocarpa (Baiss. and Hohen.) Chamberlain, which is not known to occur in Pakistan. The provenance of this particular specimen is also not certain. R. R. Stewart (in ached.) remarks that it is probably cultivated or an escape.