| Synonyms: | |
| Common names: | |
| Frequency: | Probably rare |
| Status: | Possibly introduced or Native |
| Description: |
Erect or decumbent annual herb; stem up to 25 cm long. Leaves opposite, oblong-ovate, 4-6 cm long, sparsely silvery hairy,particularly on the veins; margin with a pair of large teeth in the lower third and sometimes coarsely toothed towards the apex; petiole very short, 0-2 mm long, not winged but with the base of the leaf somewhat decurrent. Flowers solitary, axillary, on pedicels 3-6 mm long (up to 9 mm in fruit). Calyx finely velvety with scattered capitate glands. Corolla white with or without a pale yellow centre; tube cylindric for about 2 mm, opening to the throat for 7-10 mm and 3-5 mm wide at the apex; lobes 3-5 mm long; anthers c. 1.5 mm long, bearded at the base. Capsule depressed globose, 6-10 mm wide with a beak 8-12 mm long, densely velvety. |
| Type location: |
Sudan |
| Notes: | The very large disjunction in its distribution may possibly be due to a fairly recent introduction into Botswana possibly with cotton seed. |
| Derivation of specific name: | annua: annual |
| Habitat: | In grassland on clay soils and as a weed in cotton fields. |
| Altitude range: (metres) | 1100 m (approx) |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Disjunct distribution from Niger, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania to western Zimbabwe and northern Botswana. |
| FZ divisions: | N |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Literature: |
Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 15. Vollesen, K. (2013). Acanthaceae (Part 1) Flora Zambesiaca 8(5) Pages 29 - 30. |