African Asystasia is an erect straggling annual herb,
with stem swollen above node, 4-angled, prostrate below. Flowers are
less than 2 cm, petals white, lower dorsal lip with purple marks,
flower tube cylindric below and inflated above. Bracts are 3, purple,
bracteole none, sepal-cup tubular, sepals green, 5, stamens 4,
didynamous (longer ones-8 mm, smaller ones 6 mm), a purple mark on
sides of anther. Leaves are opposite, hairless or sometimes possess
minute hairs, dense on veins; leaf-stalk up to 5 cm long; blade ovate
broadly elliptic, largest 2-11.5 x 1-6 cm; tip commonly rounded, base
heart-shaped; margin entire. Young leaves are ovate, mature ones ovate
elongated with blade decurrent to leaf-stalk. Fruit is a capsule, seeds
4. African Asystasia is native to Africa, now naturalized in East China
and South India.
Flowering: October-March.
Identification credit: Navendu Pāgé
Photographed in Hastakaragadde, Karnataka.
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The flower labeled African Asystasia is ...