Description:—A diffuse herbaceous plant. Stem 15-80 cm. long. Leaves 3-8 cm. long, 1·5-3·5 cm. broad, ovate or elliptic-ovate, acute, contracted at the base into a sheath often ciliate with reddish hairs, and usually wavy margins. Flowers partly enclosed in a green hairy spathe, the topmost flower long-exserted. Sepals 3; the two side sepals more or less orbicular; the odd sepal elliptic. Petals 3; the two side petals dark blue, semi-orbicular, produced at the base into a distinct claw; the odd petal small, ovate-elliptic. Stamens 6, divided into three sets; three stamens barren, forming staminodes; the three side stamens blue; one stamen yellow, with two appendages at the back of the anther. Ovary sub-globose, 3-celled; style cylindric; stigma simple. Fruit obovoid, 3-celled. Seeds more or less oblong, wrinkled.
Plate 42.—Fig. 1, inflorescence in bud; Fig. 2, the same with half of spathe removed; Fig. 3, side sepal × 2; Fig. 4, odd sepal × 2; Fig. 5, side petal × 2; Fig. 6, odd petal × 2; Fig. 7, stamens and pistil × 3; Fig. 8, small anther (blue) × 5; Figs. 9, 10, larger anthers (yellow), front and back view × 5; Fig. 11, fruit × 4; Fig. 12, transverse section of fruit; Fig. 13, seed, enlarged.
F.P.S.A., 1922.
M. Page del.