Shrubby herb or shrub to 1 m tall; young stems glabrous to puberulous. Leaves ovate, largest 5–22≈2.5–9 cm, apex subacute to subacuminate, base gradually attenuate or abruptly narrowed and then attenuate, decurrent to the (0.2–)1–3 cm long petiole, puberulous or sparsely so along midrib beneath, otherwise glabrous. Cymes 3–23 cm long, unbranched or with lateral cymes from 1(–2) lower nodes; flowers 2, often with a third undeveloping bud; peduncle 0.5–5(–7) cm long; axes sparsely puberulous; main axis bracts subulate, 2–4(–8) mm long (lowermost pair rarely elliptic and up to 1 cm long); peduncles of cymules 1–7 mm long; cymule bracts 1.2–2≈1–1.8 cm, fused 1/3 up on lower side, free on upper side, dark green, broadly elliptic to orbicular, acute to truncate and apiculate; pedicels 2–3 mm long, puberulous and with stalked capitate glands; bracteoles filiform, (2–)4–8 mm long, indumentum as pedicels. Calyx 6–8 mm long, with sparse to dense stalked capitate glands and with sparse hairs near apex of lobes, divided to 0.5–1 mm from base, lobes linear, acute. Corolla white to cream (rarely with maroon lines); tube 7–10 mm long, bent 1–3 mm above base; lobes 2–3.5 mm long, triangular, obtuse. Stamens held under upper lip, filaments 4–6 mm long, glabrous, anthers 1–1.5 mm long, glabrous. Capsule 9–11 mm long, glabrous, densely pustulate-rugose, seed-containing part broadly ovoid. Seed broadly cordiform in outline, 5–6≈5–6 mm. Fig. 42, p. 272.