Phil Bendle Collection:Cynoglossum australe (Australian Hound s Tongue)

Kingdom: Plantae
(unranked): Angiosperms
(unranked): Eudicots
(unranked): Asterids
Order: (unplaced)
Family: Boraginaceae
Subfamily: Boraginoideae
Tribe: Cynoglosseae
Genus: Cynoglossum
Species: C. australe
Binomial name: Cynoglossum australe
Synonyms: Cynoglossum australe var. australe
Common name: Australian Hound's Tongue

Cynoglossum australe is an annual or perennial herb with coarsely hirsute 1-2 erect stems up to 75 cm high. It is native to Western Australia.
The leaves are in a basal cluster and arranged alternately along the stem. The lower leaves are between 6-12 cm long and taper toward the base. The upper leaves are stalkless and shorter with wavy margins.
The slightly fragrant flowers are produced in spring and summer on erect > 80cm high stems that are rough with reflexed hairs. The flowers are blue, pink, or whitish, funnel-shaped, with 5 lobes and are borne along one side of narrow well-spaced racemes at the tops of the stems.
The fruit is composed of 4 nutlets between 5-6 mm long. It is covered with strong hooks.

Photographed at Tupare Gardens, New Plymouth, Taranaki.
 

 

Thanks to Wikipedia for text and information: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

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