Thursday 10 May 2012

Asarina

Asarina is a genus comprising 16 species of strongly sprawling or twining perennials, native to Mexico, southwestern USA, and southern Europe. Originally placed in the Scrophulariaceae (figwort family), they have more recently been moved to the Plantaginaceae (plantain family). Leaves are often triangular, toothed, downy and hairy with twining flower stalks. Flowers are attractive trumpet-shaped with broad green sepals and pale throat-spotted corolla in varying sizes, resemble snapdragons, and may be white, yellow, pink, purple, and shades in between. Some species are often placed in the genus Maurandya.