Misopates orontium (L.) Raf.

Annual herb; stems to c. 50 cm tall, often not branched. Lvs subsessile, 20–60–(80) × 1–5–(8) mm, linear to narrow-oblong, glabrous or somewhat glandular-hairy; base attenuate. Fls in long, lax, glandular-hairy terminal racemes; peduncle often < flowering part. Bracts 10–27 mm long, resembling lvs but usually narrow-linear. Calyx 10–18 mm long, divided almost to base; lobes linear, of unequal length, glandular-hairy. Corolla 12–18 mm long to apex of upper lip, pink with darker veins and white inside pouch, glandular-hairy or glabrate outside; tube < lobes of calyx, < 5 mm wide; upper lip emarginate; middle lobe of lower lip c. 2 mm long, almost triangular, truncate, concealed by lateral lobes until late anthesis. Capsule 7–9 mm long, broad-ovate, densely glandular-hairy. Seeds c. 1 mm long, black, keeled on 1 side, papillate on the other and with a prominent depression surrounded by a raised sinuate border.

[From: Webb et al. (1988) Flora of New Zealand. Volume 4. as Antirrhinum orontium L.]

Flowering: Jul.–Mar.