Plants in flower 25–210(–300) mm tall. Root c. 0.7 mm diam. at stem base. Caudex unbranched. Flowering stems 1–7(–18) per plant, largest flowering stem c. 1.6 mm diam. at base, 1.3–1.8 mm diam. when dry, flowering stem leaves 1–2 pairs per stem. Rosette leaves elliptic, orbicular, or ovate, leaf apex rounded, 18–44 mm long, (3.6– )4.8–15.2 mm wide, green or tinted crimson below, flat, not recurved. Petiole indistinct, c. 3–20 mm long, 0.9–1.4(–2.2) mm wide at leaf base. Flowering stem leaves ovate, sessile. Pedicels 1 per leaf axil, 3.5–17 mm long, c. 0.8 mm diam., 0.5–0.7 mm diam. when dry. Flowers 6–39(–70) per plant, 6.0– 8.8 mm long. Calyx 5.8–7.9 mm long; lobes 4.2– 6.1 mm long, 1.2–2.1(–2.5) mm wide at base, apices acute, margins minutely denticulate, hairs at calyx –corolla fusion line present, sinus hairs absent. Corolla 4.5–9.8 mm long, white with veins crimson; tube 2.0–2.5 mm long; lobes 5.0–7.1 mm long, 2.1–3.0 mm wide, hairs below sinus absent or sparse; nectary indistinct, 0.2–0.6 mm from corolla base. Filaments 4.2–6.0 mm long from corolla base, 0.3– 0.5 mm wide. Anthers 0.4–1.1 mm long, anther wall blue-black, mouth yellow, extrorse at anthesis. Stigma crimson, blue, or purple. Ovules 9–29 per ovary, ovary colour yellow in maturity. Capsule 6.5–9.5 mm long. FL Jan–Apr.
[Reproduced from Glenny (2004, New Zealand J. Bot. 42: 361-530) with permission from The Royal Society of New Zealand.]