Distribution: Widely introduced in eastern United States; occasional in Washington.

Habitat: Weed of waste places, field edges and marshes.

Flowers: July - September

Origin: Introduced

Growth Duration: Annual

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Bees, flies

Herbaceous annuals, erect to decumbent, rooting at the lower nodes, the stems diffusely branched.

Leaves alternate, narrowly lanceolate to ovate-elliptic, 5-12 cm. long and 1-4 cm. wide, entire, pointed.

Inflorescence of 1-2 terminal cymes enclosed in a large bract; bract green, whitish basally, with contrasting dark green veins, 1.5-3 cm. long and 0.8-1.3 cm. wide, the margins scabrous, on a peduncle 0.8-3.5 cm. long; flowers usually perfect, the lower petal white, much smaller than the upper 2, which are blue to purplish-blue; stamen 6, the lower three fertile, the upper 3 sterile.

Capsules 2-celled, 4.5-8 mm. long.