Description:

• Diffuse, softly villous herb
• Leaves elliptic, entire
• Inflorescence terminal, ovate or cylindric spikes; bracts ovate, glandular, villous, closely imbricate; bracteoles 0
• Calyx irregular; lobes 4, free almost to base; adaxial and abaxial lobes large, adaxial one often bifid; lateral lobes small, lanceolate
• Corolla 2-lipped, small, purplish, rose or white; lobes 5, obtuse, spreading; tube slender, ± equal to lips
• Androecium: fertile stamens 2, arising above middle of tube; anthers 2-thecous; thecae parallel, broadly elliptic and somewhat divergent, sometimes ciliate, with minute tail or muticous; staminodes 0
• Disc annular
• Pollen prolate, 3-colporate; surface foveolate
• Gynoecium: ovary with 8-10 ovules in each locule; style branches 2; ventral lobe more developed, expanded
• Capsule oblong, slightly beaked, bearing seeds from base, empty above, estipitate; with inelastic placental bases; retinacula 0
• Seeds small, ellipsoid; surface convolute or rugose, with hygroscopic glochidiate hairs over whole surface
• x = 17 (B-chromosomes)

Nomenclature:

• Nelsonia R.Br.
  • Brown: 480 (1810)
  • Vollesen: 315 (1994)

Distribution & Notes:

• Global: Species 5, Africa, India, Australia, South America
• Southern Africa: Species 1: Nelsonia canescens (Lam.) Spreng., Namibia (Caprivi) and N Botswana