Description: Herbs, glabrous or pubescent, usually with erect to prostrate forked scapes.
Leaves basal, with conspicuous axillary hairs.
Flowers in axillary dichasia or rarely solitary, bracteolate; pedicels not articulate. Sepals 5 or 3, free or partly fused, upper one often larger. Corolla yellow to brownish or white to pink, usually free from ovary almost to base, auriculate, 2-lipped; lobes equal or unequal; anterior spur often conspicuous. Stamens free from each other, almost hypogynous. Ovary ± superior, incompletely 2-locular; indusium erect, with bristles on lips; ovules several.
Fruit a 2- or 4-valved capsule; seeds flat, winged or with a thickened rim, caruncle absent.
Distribution and occurrence: World: 21 species, Australia & New Guinea. Australia: 21 species (20 species endemic), all States.
Text by R. C. Carolin
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the species | |
| Sepals 5 | 2 |
| Sepals 3 | 5 |
| 2 | Bracteoles fused to each other | Velleia connata |
| Bracteoles free or nearly so
Back to 1 | 3 |
| 3 | Lobes of corolla more or less equal; indusium narrow-oblong | Velleia arguta |
| Lobes of corolla unequal; indusium ovate to depressed-ovate
Back to 2 | 4 |
| 4 | Peduncles pubescent; indusium ovate | Velleia paradoxa |
| Peduncles glabrous or nearly so; indusium depressed-ovate
Back to 3 | Velleia glabrata |
| 5 | Bracteoles fused together | Velleia perfoliata |
| Bracteoles free from each other
Back to 1 | 6 |
| 6 | Corolla lobes more or less equal; peduncles usually shorter than leaves | Velleia montana |
| Corolla lobes very unequal; peduncles usually longer than leaves
Back to 5 | 7 |
| 7 | Peduncles pubescent | Velleia spathulata |
| Peduncles glabrous or glabrescent
Back to 6 | 8 |
| 8 | Upper sepal cordate at base | Velleia lyrata |
| Upper sepal not cordate at base
Back to 7 | Velleia parvisepta |
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