Perennial herb, 30–100 cm. tall; rootstock little branched, with about three main roots, 6–12 cm. long. Stems woody, about 4 mm. in diam., brown or green above, terete, striate, branched, tomentose with white or brownish hairs; internodes 1.5–17 cm. long. Leaves 5.5–16 x 1–3 cm., lanceolate, frequently narrowly so, acute, cuneate basally, thickish or membranous, pubescent above and on the venation below, lateral nerves 6–14, strongly ascending at the margins, prominent below, venation a little reticulate; stipules with 5–8 setae, 4–10 mm. long from a short base; petiole 0.3–1.6 cm. long. Inflorescence capitate in flower, becoming spicate and laxer in fruit, up to 6 x 4 cm. in extent Flowers geminate, not dimorphic. Calyx tube hairy, 2 mm. long; lobes unequal, 2.5–16.5 x 1–3 mm., lanceolate to elliptic, pubescent on the face, ciliate at the margins, venation prominent on the back. Corolla tube 1.2–1.9 cm. long, glabrescent or pubescent, 0.5–0.9 mm. in diam. at the middle, expanded above to 2–3 mm. wide forming a dilation 2–4 mm. long, lobes 2–6 x 0.8–2.5 mm., oblong-ovate, acute or rounded, glabrous or pubescent; throat and tube densely hairy. Style glabrous, exserted 1.25–3.5 mm. or rarely included; stigma lobes often purple, 1.5 mm. long, always exserted. Anthers often purple, 2 mm. long. Fruits pubescent 4–5.5 x 3.5–4.5 mm., somewhat constricted above, beak 1–1.5 mm. tall; finally dehiscent into two cocci; the truly terminal solitary one largest, 6 mm. tall and 4.5 mm. wide.
