Erect, glandular-hairy, odorous annual to c. 60 cm tall. Leaves sessile, ovate to oblong-lanceolate, pinnatisect to bipinnatisect, 15–35 mm long, 10–25 mm wide, lobes narrow, rigid and spine-tipped. Inflorescences dense terminal heads 2–3 cm across, surrounded by spine-tipped leafy bracts. Sepals 5, narrow-lanceolate, 8–12 mm long, teeth about as long as tube, spinose; corolla 5-lobed, 9–12 mm long, broadly funnel-shaped, pale lilac to blue, lobes short, spreading; stamens inserted at c. middle of corolla-tube, anthers included; stigma 3-lobed. Capsule ovoid, 3–4 mm long, 3-celled, remaining enclosed by persistent calyx; seeds numerous. Flowers summer.
VVP, VRiv, GipP, Gold, CVU, NIS, EGU, HSF, HNF, OtR, VAlp. Also naturalised WA, SA, NSW, ACT, Tas. Native to North America. An occasional weed of pasture and disturbed sites, mostly in the north-east (c. Alexandra to Corryong), but also in Kyneton, Trentham, Beaufort, Ararat and Portland areas.
Source:
Jeanes, J.A. (1999). Polemoniaceae. In: Walsh, N.G.; Entwisle, T.J., Flora of Victoria Vol. 4, Cornaceae to Asteraceae, pp. 385–386. Inkata Press, Melbourne.
