Torenia cordifolia - Heart-Leaf Wishbone Flower

Heart-Leaf Wishbone Flower is an annual herb, 15-20 cm tall, sparsely white hairy. It is often confused with Indian Wishbone Flower found in Western Ghats. Flowers are blue-purple, 1.3-2 cm long, lower lip lobes nearly equal. Upper lip is wider than long, margin somewhat involute, tip entire or notched. Anterior stamens appendages are toothlike to threadlike. The common name “Wishbone Flower” comes from the two stamens united at the anthers, forming a structure that resembles a chicken wishbone. Sepal cup is ovate-oblong, about 1.3 x 0.7 cm, base flat to somewhat rounded, never extending into the stalk, 5-winged. Wings are about 2 mm wide, sometimes upper wing about 1 mm wide. Lips are triangular, 5 lobes becoming evident in fruit. Flowers are borne in groups of 3-5, fascicles in leaf axils. Bracts are linear, about 5 mm. Flower-stalks are 1.5-2 cm long, often ascending. Stems are erect, branched from base; branches decussate, rising, base sparsely diffuse. Leaf-stalks are 0.8-1.5 cm long. Leaves are ovate to heart-shaped, 2.5-3.5 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm wide, sparsely hairy, base wedge-shaped and forming wings on the stalk, margin coarsely triangular-toothed. Capsule is oblong, about 9 x 4 mm. Heart-Leaf Wishbone Flower is found in the Himalayas, from Punjab to Bhutan, Burma, and China, at altitudes of 1000-1600 m. Flowering: September-November.