Shrub 1-4 m tall, profusely branched. Youngest stem subquadrangular, moderately tomentose, older stem terete, glabrate. Petiole lacking or to 10 mm long, densely pubescent; blade elliptic, 9-20 x 3-7 cm, apex acute to short attenuate, base attenuate, decurrent on the petiole, upper and lower surface moderately tomentose (densely so on veins below), margin entire or undulate. Inflorescence terminal, spikes solitary or more frequently several (3-7), terete to subquadrangular, 8-12 x 1 cm, sessile; rachis moderately pubescent; bracts densely imbricate, broadly elliptic, 13-16 x 6-8 mm, apex long-attenuate, marginally with 2-4 pairs of short teeth (1-2 x 0.5 mm) on each side, green to dull orange, moderately pubescent without, glabrous within, paired bracteal nectary patches lateral and submedial, each patch composed of 2-5 minute glands, margin ciliate; bracteoles lanceolate, 6-8 x 1.5 mm, apex long-attenuate and acute, green to pale orange, sparsely pubescent. Calyx lobes 8-9.5 mm long, acute, green to dull orange, glabrous except ciliate apically, posterior lobe ovate, about 3 mm wide, anterior pair lanceolate, about 1.5 mm wide, lateral lobes narrowly lanceolate, about 1 mm wide; corolla strongly bilipped, lateral lobes of lower lip much reduced, adnate to basal portion of upper lip with only their tips free, pink, orange or red, 35-40 mm long, moderately pubescent, tube 25-30 mm long, 2 mm in diameter at base, expanding to 5 mm wide at throat, upper lip erect, elliptic, 11-13 x 5-6 mm, 2-lobed, lobes triangular, 3-4 mm long, middle lobe of lower lip narrowly oblong, 14-15 x 3-4.5 mm, strongly recurved at anthesis, filaments inserted about 5 mm above base of corolla, anthers 3-4 mm long, extending to within 2-4 mm from tip of upper lip; style filiform, stigma oblique apically, extended 0.5-1.5 mm beyond anthers. Capsule globose, 13-17 x 5-6 x 5-6.5 mm, green when immature, turning brown-black at dehiscence; seeds brown, orbicular, slightly flattened, 3.5-4.5 mm in diameter.
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