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Description:
Plants mostly 150–300 mm high. Stem strongly inclined, velvety, usually branched. Leaves lanceolate, closely pleated, velvety, in loose basal fan. Spike inclined, secund, several–many-flowered; bracts green with rusty tips, outer 9–12 mm long, obtuse or bilobed at tip, inner slightly shorter to ± as long as outer, divided to base. Flowers zygomorphic, inverted, with perianth tube recurved, dorsal tepal horizontal, unilateral stamens curved back to lie above dorsal tepal and lower tepals suberect, blue to violet, lower tepals often and dorsal sometimes cream, lower with black or reddish markings in lower 1/3, unscented; perianth tube curved, narrowly funnel-shaped, ± 10 mm long; tepals unequal, oblong-oblanceolate, dorsal held somewhat apart, 22–24 mm long, lower tepals joined to upper laterals for ± 2 mm, 18–20 mm long. Stamens unilateral; filaments arched over dorsal tepal, 12–15 mm long; anthers linear, facing spike apex, 5–6 mm long, often with narrow portion of connective visible between thecae, anthers and pollen purple, lilac or white. Ovary densely hairy; style dividing opposite middle of anthers level, branches ± 3.5 mm long, expanded apically. Flowering time: mid August and September.
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