Striga angustifolia - Narrow-Leaved Witchweed

Narrow-Leaved Witchweed is an erect, annual or biennial herb, 10-50 cm tall. Stems have stiffly erect, simple branches, more or less velvet-hairy to densely covered in short rough hairs. Leaves are nearly opposite but alternate above, linear to linear-lanceolate, 1-2 cm long, finely velvety, margin entire. Flowers are borne alternate solitary in the axils, together sometimes, forming long, lax spikes. Lower bracts are leaf-like, the upper linear. Calyx is tubular, 1.0-1.2 cm long, prominently 15-ribbed, 5-toothed, finely velvety, teeth linear-lanceshaped, 3-5 mm long, elongating in fruit. Flowers are white or cream with a greenish tube, velvet-hairy outside, tube 1.0-1.5 cm long, abruptly curved just above the calyx teeth and inflated above. Lower petals are obovate 6-8 mm long and about 5 mm wide, rounded. Capsule is ovoid, 4-5 mm long, pointed at tip. Narrow-Leaved Witchweed is native to Asia and Africa. In India it is also found in the Himalayas, at altitudes of 600-1900 m.