Digitalis purpurea L.

Biennial or short-lived perennial. Basal rosette giving rise to densely hairy simple stems to c. 2.5 m high. Petiole long and winged; upper stem lvs with much shorter petioles. Lamina 10–25 × 3.5–12 cm, lanceolate to elliptic or ovate, hairy to glabrate above, ± grey-tomentulose with crisped hairs beneath, crenate or crenulate; base cuneate to attenuate. Racemes to c. 60 cm long, with many nodding fls. Bracts lanceolate, shortly glandular-hairy, decreasing in size upwards, > pedicels; pedicels tomentulose, 5–15 mm long. Calyx 8–17 mm long, shortly glandular-hairy, deeply lobed; lobes imbricate, ovate, obtuse or acute. Corolla mostly 3.5–5 cm long; tube campanulate and inflated above constricted base, usually pinkish purple with dark purple white-ringed spots in lower part, sometimes pure white, glabrous; lobes short and rounded. Stamens included. Capsule 10–15 mm long, ovoid. Seeds oblong, alveolate, truncate.

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

Flowering: Oct.–Jan.