Biennial or perennial herb, 20–40 cm high, erect or spreading; branches with dense spreading hairs. Leaves moderately hairy, apex usually obtuse, margins flat; rosette leaves oblanceolate, 2–10 cm long, 8–30 mm wide; cauline leaves elliptic to lanceolate. Inflorescence axis with appressed antrorse hairs. Flowers on pedicels to c. 10 mm long; sepals 2.5–6 mm long, acute, connate in basal third, elongating with age, lower parts covered densely with hooked hairs; corolla 5–6 mm long, 6–10 mm diam., exceeding the sepals, glabrous, pale blue to sky blue with a yellow throat, tube about as long as lobes; stamens and style included in corolla-tube; style about as long as stamens. Mericarps c. 2 mm long, pale to dark brown. Flowers mostly Sep.–Mar.
VVP, GipP, OtP, WaP, Gold, CVU, GGr, WPro, HSF, HNF, OtR, Strz, VAlp. Also naturalised WA, SA, NSW, Tas. Native to Europe. A widespread garden-escape, naturalised in several moist, shaded sites.
Source:
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Boraginaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 387–411. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
