Leucospora multifida (Michx.) Nutt., cutleaf conobea. Leucospora multifida — CUTLEAF CONOBEA [Plantaginaceae/Scrophulariaceae] Annual, taprooted, 1–stemmed at base, branching at most nodes, branches opposite decussate or in whorls of 3 (canopy), with ascending shoots, to 20 cm tall; shoots with only cauline leaves, leaves symmetrically pinnately lobed, with scattered, radiating, short glandular hairs.
Stems cylindric, < 0.8 mm diameter, with straight hairs to 0.45 mm long.
Leaves opposite decussate and in canopy whorled with 3 leaves, ± symmetrically 1—2–pinnately lobed with 3 or 5 principal lobes paired lobes decreasing upward, petiolate, without stipules; petiole channeled, to 6 mm long; blade ovate in outline, to 8 × 8 mm, length = width, lobes narrowly oblanceolate to narrowly fan–shaped, to 5 × 1.5 mm, with an extra tooth or sublobe close to lobe tip, obtuse at tip, pinnately veined with the midrib slightly sunken on upper side and scarsely visible on lower side.
Inflorescence flowers axillary, 1—3 per node, horizontal; pedicel spreading, at anthesis 1.5—3 mm long increasing 2× in fruit, glandular–hairy.
Flower bisexual, bilateral, in range ca. 1.5 mm across; sepals 5, fused only at base, subequal, linear, 2.3—2.7 × 0.3—0.4 mm increasing to 3—3.3 mm long, 1 sepal to 0.3 mm longer, with spreading, colorless glandular hairs to 0.25 mm long; corolla 2–lipped, 5–lobed, ca. 4 mm long; tube 1 mm diameter, white; throat narrowed to 0.7—0.8 mm at midpoint, lower side with some yellow; lips pale lavender, upper lip 2–lobed, heart–shaped, 1.2 × 1.6 mm; lower lip 3–lobed, subequal, obovate with short–point at tip, ca. 1.5 × 1 mm, having several short hairs along midvein; stamens 4, of 2 lengths, attached 1 mm from base of corolla tube with shorter 2 on lower side; filaments 1 mm long and 1.5—1.7 mm long, white; anthers dorsifixed, dithecal, 0.3—0.5 mm long, white, longitudinally dehiscent; pollen white; pistil 1; ovary superior, ovoid, ca. 1 × 0.5 mm, light green, glabrous, 2–chambered, each chamber with many ovules; style flaring to and slightly bent approaching stigma, to 0.8 mm long, pale green to whitish; stigma at level of short stamens.
Fruit capsule, loculicidal, 2–valved, many–seeded, ovoid, ca. 3 × 1.5 mm, subequal with calyx, valves papery, each valve with 2 spreading teeth, often having a persistent style.
Seed ellipsoid, 0.25—0.35 × 0.2 mm, mostly colorless and opaque, having ca. 6 longitudinal ridges of cells, light weight, often with brown remnant of funiculus attached.
A. C. Gibson