Citation: L., Sp. PI. 139 (1753).

Synonymy: Not Applicable

Common name: Vipers bugloss, common vipers bugloss.

Description:
Biennials to 80 cm high, with one to several stems terminating in an inflorescence, with a more or less dense basal rosette, densely covered with while spreading to more or less appressed long hairs usually with a broadened base as well as fine short hairs; leaves more or less densely clustered, subpetiolate and with linear-oblanceolate lamina on the basal rosette becoming scattered, sessile and linear-lanceolate on the stems, 5-15 x 0.8-1.5 cm, densely covered with spreading short hairs as well as coarser longer ones with a broadened base but mainly restricted to the veins on the undersurface.

Inflorescence conical, with many short unbranched monochasia, with sessile flowers arranged in 2 rows; sepals scarcely connate basally, linear-lanceolate, 5-6 mm long or to 9 mm in fruit, with short spreading hairs; corolla broadly funnel-shaped, somewhat curved and zygomorphic, deep-blue, 12-15 mm long, with short and long hairs outside, glabrous inside except for some hairs around a ring of nectary scales at the level of the ovary; lobes transversely oblong to almost square, 2-3 mm long, rounded; stamens with filaments fused to different levels of the corolla tube at about the top of the calyx, with free filaments about twice as long except for a much shorter and included dorsal stamen; anthers narrowly ellipsoid, c. 1 mm long, without an appendage; ovary 4-lobed, with a style inserted at about the middle, c. 20 mm long, with scattered hairs and terminating in a 2-fid stigma.

Mericarps with a short ridged beak parallel with the style and bulging angular shoulders on either side, rugose and with few scarcely pointed tubercles, pale-brown.

	Habit, flower and mericarp in two views.
Image source: fig. 535D in Jessop J.P. & Toelken H.R. (Ed.) 1986. Flora of South Australia (4th edn).

Published illustration: Ross-Craig (1965) Drawings Brit. Pl. 21: pl. 21; Parsons (1973) Noxious weeds of Victoria, figs 11, 15 & 17.

Distribution:  S.Aust.: EA, NL, SE.   N.S.W.; Vic.; Tas.   Native to most parts of Europe and extending to central Asia. Conservation status: naturalised Flowering time: Dec., Jan.

SA Distribution Map based on current data relating to specimens held in the State Herbarium of South Australia

Biology: No text

Author: Not yet available