I.C. Hedge

Annual 10-15 cm, with erect-spreading or arcuate-ascending purplish branches and an all-over indumentum of long white villous hairs, leafy. Cauline leaves broad-ovate or suborbicular, c. 12 x 12 mm, subentire or crenulate, subcordate or broadly cuneate, apically rounded or obtuse, with sessile oil globules on abaxial surface; petiole 2-4 mm. Inflorescence of several loosely congested ± ovoid heads, c. 15 mm in diameter, sessile and subtended by upper leaves or pedunculate in leaf axils. Bracts densely white-vinous, narrow linear-elliptic, equal to or longer than calyces. Calyx c. 9 mm, purplish or violet, curved-tubular, villous and with sessile glands, mouth oblique; teeth narrow linear-lanceolate, subulate, as long as tube; throat with some vinous hairs. Corolla c. 11 mm, dark violet or violet-blue; tube included in calyx, broadened at throat; upper lobe deeply bifid, broad. Nutlets c. 1.3 x 0.6 mm, narrow ellipsoid-oblong, punctulate-verrucose, dull brown, with a prominent U- or V-shaped white areole extending almost entire nutire length.

Fl. Per.: April-May.

Holotype: Afghanistan: Farah, Jija, 900 m, Koeie 3599 (WI; iso. C).

Distribution: S. Iran, SW & SE Afghanistan, Pakistan.

Very distinctive on account of the white-villous indumentum on all parts and the very prominent areole.