Cattle Bush

Erect annual or perennial herb to c. 1 m high, smooth to hispid; taproot well-developed.

Basal leaves opposite, becoming alternate up stem; lamina linear-oblong to narrow-ovate, 3.5–10.5 cm long, 7–20 mm wide, apex acute, surfaces hispid; ± sessile.

Flowers 15–20 mm diam., blue, rarely white; pedicels to 30 mm long. Sepals narrow-ovate, 10–15 mm long, 3–4 mm wide, broadening in fruit. Corolla tube 5–6 mm long, lobes 5–8 mm long. Anthers 6–7 mm long, hairy; appendages 4–6 mm long. Mericarps 4, outer surface smooth and ± mottled, inner surface wrinkled; leaving a conspicuous gynobase.