pairs. Leaves about four inches long, acute at each end, 
their margins somewhat revolute and crenulate, smooth 
and shining, of a peculiar greyish-green colour above ; very 
pale, with prominent, hairy, and reticulated nerves and veins 
below. The uppermost or floral leaves, at the base of the 
spikes, approach to the size and figure of the bractes. Pe- 
tioles about an inch long, flattened above, and slightly mar- 
ginated by the decurrent base of the leaf. Spikes solitary, 
erect, from one to two feet long. Rachis sharply four-sided, 
almost four-winged. Flowers large dark blue, opposite in 
alternate pairs, which become remote as the spike elongates. 
Bractes adpressed, imbricating, with their ends cuneate- 
lanceolar, dark green, acute, ciliate, about an inch long ; 
the lowermost barren and becoming floral leaves ; interior 
two very small, scarcely longer than the five calycine seg- 
ments, and like them linear, pubescent. Tube of the corol 
slender, pubescent, slightly enlarged towards the mouth, 
about twice the length of the outer bracte. Segments ob- 
ovate, truncate, spreading and flat, equal, very pale below ; 
two filiform barren stamina between the filaments. Anthers 
in the mouth of the corol with parallel cells, 
J. L. 
