Shrub or woody herb 1–3 m. high; stem 4–6-angled; branchlets very shortly setose. Leaf-lamina lanceolate to oblong-ovate, 4–16 cm. long, 1.5–5 cm. wide, apex acute, base rounded to subcordate, margin minutely crenulate with very shortly setulose teeth, often inconspicuously rugulose and sparsely and softly appressed setulose above or densely appressed pubescent with a mixture of single hairs and hispid appendages (× 20 lens required), softly tomentose to scabrid beneath; midrib and 2–3 pairs of basal longitudinal nerves impressed above, prominent beneath, reticulation subprominent beneath; petiole 1–5 cm. long. Inflorescence many-flowered congested or lax terminal panicles; flowers 5-merous; bracts caducous, ovate-orbicular or ovate, 9–15 mm. long, 5–12 mm. wide, strigillose. Calyx-tube (fig. 10/4, 5, p. 31) urceolate, 7–13 mm. long, 4–6 mm. in diameter, covered with long fascicled silky bristles intermixed with shorter bristles; short broad ligulate appendages present near the mouth of the tube; lobes oblong-ovate, oblong-lanceolate or obliquely oblong-lanceolate, 6–9 mm. long, 2–3 mm. wide, margin ciliate, pubescent; intersepalar appendages ligulate, 1.5 mm. long, apex long-setose. Petals violet to purple, broadly obovate, 22–30 mm. long, 18–23 mm. wide, margin minutely ciliate. Stamens 10; 5 long stamens with anthers 13 mm. long, connective produced 16–23 mm., slender, deeply bilobed appendage 3 mm. long, filament 15 mm. long; 5 short stamens with anthers 11 mm. long, connective produced 2–4 mm., bilobed appendage 2 mm. long, filament 15 mm. long. Fruiting calyx enlarging to 12 mm. long and 7 mm. in diameter; capsule setose at the apex, not exserted.
