Pseuderanthemum

Pseuderanthemum variabile, commonly known as pastel flower or love flower in its native range, or night and afternoon in the USA, is a small perennial herb in the family Acanthaceae which is native to Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Caledonia. It can be an unwelcome nuisance in orchid nurseries in Australia

Pseuderanthemum variabile is a creeping herb with a highly variable appearance, growing up to 30 cm high, all parts of which may be pubescent. The wiry stems are around 1–2 millimetres  wide. The leaves are lanceolate to ovate in shape with entire margins, and their arrangement is opposite and decussate. They measure up to 7 cm long by 4 cm wide with petioles up to 30 mm  long, and have from 3 to 6 lateral veins either side of the midrib.

The leaf colour varies greatly. The upper surface is usually dark green to mid-green, but may have varying amounts of light grey or (rarely) purple patterning. The lower surface of the leaf is usually light green but may also be purple or dark red.

The inflorescence is produced from the terminal axil, and the zygomorphic flowers have five petals.Two petals are smaller than the others and are usually uppermost. They measure around 7 by 4 mm  and overlap each other slightly. Two more are held perpendicular to the first pair, one on either side, and the last  petal is opposite the first pair. This one measures about 10 by 6 mm and is often decorated with a variable number of small purple spots. The petals may be any colour shade from white to pink