Polka Dot Plant

Hypoestes phyllostachya Polka Dot Plant

DESCRIPTION

Long-lived herb to 1m tall with four-angled stems covered in white hairs. Simple, paired dark green ovate to broadly lanceolate leaves 5-12cm long by 2-8cm wide covered in pinkish spots, paler below; apex acuminate, base attenuate, margins shallowly crenate to entire. Densely hairy petiole to 25mm long.

FLOWERS AND FRUIT

Pink to purplish axillary solitary flowers 2cm long; calyx 6mm long, lilac corolla. Flowers separate at tip into two lobes, the smaller lower lobe bent backwards. Fruiting capsule 8–12mm long.

HABITAT AND RANGE

Closed forests, forest gaps and margins, riparian areas, urban bushland, roadsides and disturbed sites along the east coast of Australia from Sydney to the wet tropics. A native of Madagascar.