Linaria

Annual or perennial herbs. Leaves on non-flowering shoots opposite or whorled on spreading, usually prostrate stems from base of plant; leaves on flowering stems alternate and narrower; lamina simple, margins entire, sessile. Flowers in terminal bracteate racemes or spikes (rarely solitary in the axils of foliage leaves); bracteoles absent. Sepals 5, often unequal, fused only at base; corolla 2-lipped, tube cylindric with a basal spur, upper lip 2-lobed, lower lip deeply 3-lobed with palate usually closing the throat; stamens 4, in pairs of unequal length, enclosed in corolla; stigma simple or divided. Capsule more or less globose, dehiscing by vertical slits in upper half; seeds numerous.