Verbena brasiliensis

Detailed description

Plants annual or short-lived perennial, taprooted or with ligneous fibrous roots. Stems erect, 70–150(–250) cm, sparsely to moderately hispid. Leaves persistent, lanceolate to rhombic-lanceolate 8 or lanceolate-elliptic, cuneate-attenuate at base, midstem blades (2–)5–8 cm x 10–25 mm, veins impressed adaxially, adaxially strigose-hirsute, abaxially hirsute mostly along the veins, margins serrate; petioles absent. Spikes in 3s, forming compound cymes, the central sessile to subsessile on peduncles 0–5(–10) mm, inflorescence aspect corymbiform, comprising relatively compact and distinct clusters and subclusters, central and laterals dense and thick in fruit, (5–)10–30(–50) mm x 3– 5 mm; floral bracts narrowly lanceolate, 2.5–4 mm, about equal or longer than the calyces. Calyces (2.5–)3–3.5 mm, loosely strigose to hirsute-strigose, eglandular, lobes connivent. Corollas usually purple to blue or blue-violet, tubes 3–4 mm, limbs (2–)2.5–3.5 mm in diam. Nutlets 1–1.4 mm, commissural faces extending to very tip of nutlets, densely papillate. 2n = 28.