Gastrocotyle Bunge, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot., ser. 3, 12: 363. 1849; Benth. & Hook. f., Gen. Pl. 2: 853. 1876; C. B. Clarke in Hook. f., Fl. Brit. Ind. 4: 168. 1885; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 16: 359; Nasir, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 82.

Annual herbs, short strigose, hispid. Leaves alternate, sessile, margin obtusely incised-dentate or undulate. Flowers solitary, axillary, sessile or shortly pedicellate, bisexual, actinomorphic, 5-merous, hypogynous. Calyx 5-partite, lobes stellate-spreading. Corolla 5-parted; tube 2x as long as lobes; throat with 5 scaly pilose appendages; limb divided, lobes spreading, overlapping in bud. Stamens 5, included, attached below appendages. Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary 4-lobed; stigma subcapitate. Nutlets usually 4, erect, fissured-wrinkled, densely tuberculate; attachment scar adaxial, oblong, margin thickened with denticulate margin.

3 species

Gastrocotyle hispida (Forssk.) Bunge, Ann. Sci. Nat. Bot. Ser. 3. 12: 363. 1849; Fl. China @ eFloras.org 16: 359; Nasir, Fl. Pak. @ eFloras.org p. 82; Anchusa hispida Forssk., Fl. Aegypt.-Arab. 40. 1775; Boiss., Fl. Or. 4: 158. 1875.

Annual herbs, grey-white, ca. 40 cm tall, strigose, hispid, hairs up to 2 mm long, bulbous at base. Stem prostrate to erect, branched from base, branches spreading, striate. Leaves basal and cauline, alternate, exstipulate; basal leaves large, up to 10 cm x 1.1 cm; upper cauline leaves short, 1.5-2.5 cm x 0.8-1.5 cm; all leaves sessile, narrowly oblong to lanceolate-oblong, slightly fleshy, short strigose, sparsely bristly (hispid) on both surfaces, base rounded to broadly cuneate, rarely cordate, margin angular-dentate, sometimes subundulate, apex obtuse. Flowers bisexual, actinomorphic, 5-merous, hypogynous, ca. 3 mm across, 3.5-4.5 mm long; solitary axillary; shortly pedicellate, pedicel 3.0-3.5(-4.0) mm long, hispid. Calyx 5-partite, 1.5-2.5 mm to 3.5 mm after anthesis, deeply divided, lobes lanceolate, stellate spreading, densely bristly (hispid) outside and short strigose inside. Corolla white, bluish or purple, funnelform, 2.5-3.0 mm long, ca. 3 mm across and ca. 1 mm wide at base, densely short-strigose outside and glabrous inside; throat with 5 scaly pilose appendages, ca. 0.25 mm x 0.25 mm; lobes 5, orbicular, ca. 1.0 mm x 0.75 mm. Stamens 5, included, inserted in tube below appendages; anthers ca. 0.4-0.5 mm long; filaments ca. 1 mm long. Carpels 2, syncarpous; ovary 4-lobed, glabrous; style gynobasic, short, ca. 1 mm long; stigma obscurely 2-lobed or subcapitate. Drupelets/ nutlets usually 4 (occasionally 2 or 3), erect, 2-2.5 mm x 3.0-4.5 mm, transversely curved, ovoid, brown, rugose, reticulately-ribbed, hollow at base, with a rugose-denticulate basal ring and a horizontal cleft (ridge) above the ring.

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