Torenia lindernioides - Lindernia Wishbone Flower

Lindernia Wishbone Flower is an annual herb deceptively similar to Torenia crustacea. Stem is erect at first, with diffuse, prostrate branches later on. Leaves are opposite, decussate, stalked, ovate, rounded-toothed to sawtoothed, hairless ; leaf-stalks about 0.5 cm long; blade penninerved, about 1 x 1 cm. Flowers are are borne singly in leaf-axils. Sepal-cup equally 5-toothed, clearly winged, wings fringed with hairs, about 0.4 cm. Sepals of Torenia crustacea are not winged, at the most thickened in the middle. Flowers are 2-lipped ; tube dorsi-ventrally compressed, pink, 0.8 cm long ; upper lip shorter, divided into two ; lower lip 3-lobed, white except for a purple spot in the middle. Stamens are 4, lower filaments longer, appendiculate, curved. The common name “Wishbone Flower” comes from the two stamens united at the anthers, forming a structure that resembles a chicken wishbone. Capsule is elliptic, narrowed at top, included. Lindernia Wishbone Flower is endemic to Western Ghats.