An erect annual 30-34 cm tall. Roots slender exuding a purplish dye. Stem usually branched. Leaves and branches densely hairy with swollen weak hairs. Leaves 1.5-8.5 x 2.5-0.8 cm, (cauline ones smaller) broad lanceolate to lanceolate, obtuse. Inflorescence elongating after anthesis to 15 cm, bracteate; bracts 9-12 mm long, linear. Flowers heterostylic, orange or yellow, spotted near the throat. Calyx 7-8 mm long, up to 13 mm in fruit, 5-partite, densely hairy. Corolla tube 16-18 mm long, slender, dense pubscent on the outside, limb 15-17 (-20) mm broad, lobes spreading ovate-obtuse. Anthers c. 1.5 mm long, attached either at throat and subexerted or in the middle of tube. Style slender, forked-long styles reaching throat of corolla; short styles 11-13 mm long. Stigma 2, subreni-form Nutlets 2 mm long, trigonal, tubercled.

Fl. Per.: March-May.

Type: Afghanistan, Griffith 5953 (K).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan.

The prophets flower is usually found in dry sandy and stony places up to 1900 m. The yellow flowers have 5 dark brown spots and are sweet-scented. Specimens seen from Baluchistan (Rech. f., 29837; Kazmi 1908) are more robust.