Erect annual or biennial, 15–60 cm high; branches covered with stiff, coarse, spreading hairs. Leaves densely hairy, apex obtuse or rounded, margins undulate-dentate; rosette leaves linear-oblanceolate, 2.5–20 cm long, 3–20 mm wide; cauline leaves oblong to oblong-lanceolate, becoming smaller towards inflorescence. Bracts as long as sepals; sepals 3.5–5 mm long, acute, connate only at base, elongating to c. 12 mm in fruit, hairy; corolla zygomorphic, 5–9 mm long, curved, blue, rarely white, lobes suborbicular, 3–5 mm long, unequal; stamens inserted about halfway up the corolla-tube. Mericarps 2–4 mm long, with a longitudinal keeled ridge on one side, brown; areole narrower than base of mericarp. Flowers Oct.–Feb.
Wim, GleP, VVP, GipP, OtP, Gold, EGU, HSF. Also naturalised SA, NSW, ACT, Tas. Native to Europe. In Victoria known by a few near-coastal collections (Portland, Bellarine and Mornington Peninsulas, Yarram) from disturbed sandy soils.
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.
