This is an erect, perennial or sometimes biennial forb that rises on a single stem. It can be 12″ to 40″ tall, but is usually no more than 26″ in height.
In the first year it develops a rosette of basal leaves. In the second and subsequent years year it sends up a single flowering stem.
The leaves are alternate, narrowly oblong, and stalkless. The lower leaf surface is hairless. The margins are untoothed.
The inflorescence is an unbranched, elongated cluster (raceme) of many flowers at the end of the stem.
The 5 sepals are lance-shaped, ¼″ to ⅜″ long, and densely covered with long, soft, shaggy, unmatted hairs.
The corolla is ¾″ to 13 ⁄16″ long. The 5 petals are fused at their base into an inflated, bell-shaped tube with 4 small lobes and a much larger, 5 ⁄16″ to ½″ long lower lobe. The corolla tube is white to pale yellow with many prominent brown to violet veins. The lower lobe is not veined. There are 4 stamens.
The fruit is an oval to globe-shaped pod. |
