Seaside Brookweed

The species is found in moist places, along streams and springs from 300-2000 m. Variable as to the size of the plant. Specimens from Kallar Kahar (Chakwal Dist.) are larger and with terminal racemes up to 25.5 cm long, the leaves are on the average larger, being up to 70 x 30 mm in size. Collection no. 1493 from Sanjaur, Baluchistan also has large leaves, the largest being 105 x 40 mm.

Annual (8-) 10-37 (-64) cm tall. Stem solitary or several from the base, branches ascending, sometimes rooting at the nodes. Basal leaves in rosettes, larger ones (including petiole) 3.5-7 (-20.5) x 1-2 (-4) cm, elliptic-oblong or oblong-obovate, obtuse, cuneate; cauline leaves alternate, smaller and often acutish, margin narrowly hyaline, entire to ± wavy. Flowers white, in axillary and terminal racemes; racemes 3.5-23.5 (-25.5) cm long, often interrupted. Pedicel 7-16 (-21) mm long, slender, slightly curved in fruit; bracteole 1.4-3 mm long, narrow ovate or elliptic-ovate. Calyx 1.5-2 mm long, shallow cupular; lobes 1.5 mm long, ovate, acute or subacute. Corolla exceeding the calyx, tube short and broadly tubular, limb 3 mm broad; lobes 1.5 mm long, oblong or obovate, towards apex entire to wavy, minutely papillose. Stamens c. 1.1 mm long, anthers suborbicular, base cordate, filaments glabrous; staminodes linear. Ovary globose-depressed, style less than 1 mm long, stigma subcapitate. Capsule globose, included, 3-3.5 mm broad. Seeds less than 0.5 mm, angled, minutely tuberculate, brown.

Plants annual, glabrous. Stems erect, 10--30(--40) cm, terete or obscurely angular. Basal leaves obovate to oblong-ovate, 1.2--6.5 X 0.7--3 cm, tapering to base forming a short winged petiole, margin entire, apex rounded to obtuse. Stem leaves smaller, short petiolate or sessile, apex obtuse to apiculate. Racemes loose, usually 8--20 cm, 10--20-flowered. Pedicel 6--12 mm; bracts lanceolate, ca. 1 mm, adnate to middle of pedicel. Calyx campanulate, ca. 1 mm, enlarging to 2--2.5 mm in fruit, parted to 1/3; lobes triangular. Corolla white, 2--3 mm in diam.; tube nearly as long as calyx; lobes ovate, apex obtuse. Capsule 2--3 mm in diam. 2n = 24, 26.

Distribution: W. Europe, W. & E. Mediterranean, Balkans, Turkey, Soviet C. Asia, India, Pakistan, China.

Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Yunnan [Cosmopolitan].

Fl. Per.: March-April.

River banks, streamsides, areas near water; 100--1300 m.