Biennial herb, 20–120 cm high, erect; branches 1–several from base, covered with coarse spreading or appressed broad-based hairs and finer, shorter hairs. Leaves densely hairy, apex acute or obtuse, margins entire; rosette leaves linear-oblanceolate, 5–15 cm long, 8–15 mm wide; cauline leaves linear-lanceolate, bases cuneate. Inflorescence conical, cymes dense; bracts usually longer than sepals. Sepals linear-lanceolate, 5–6 mm long, acute, elongating to c. 9 mm in fruit, hairy; corolla 12–15 mm long, hairy outside, glabrous inside except for some hairs around nectary scales, blue, lobes broad-ovate, 2–3 mm long, much shorter than tube; nectary scales 5, arranged around ovary; stamens inserted near throat, 4 long-exserted from corolla, dorsal one more or less included. Mericarps 2–3.5 mm long, rugose with scarcely pointed tubercles, pale brown. Flowers mainly Sep.–Feb.
GleP, Brid, VVP, VRiv, GipP, CVU, NIS, EGU, HSF, HNF, Strz, MonT. Also naturalised SA, NSW, Tas., New Zealand. Native to Europe. A widespread weed of pastures and disturbed places.
