Perennial (or annual fide Tweedie 2477) herb (13–)30–60 cm. tall, with 1–several unbranched or sparsely branched glabrous 4-ribbed stems from a woody root.. Leaf-blades linear-lanceolate to lanceolate, 1.8–6.8 cm. long, (0.2–)0.8–1.9 cm. wide, narrowly tapering acute at the apex, narrowed to subcordate at the base, glabrous save for some hairs above near the base; stipule-sheath truncate, 0.5–1.5 mm. long, fringed with hairs and obscure colleters.. Flowers axillary, sessile, forming a leafy spike-like inflorescence (1.5–)10–25(–40) cm. long.. Calyx-tube ellipsoid, 3–4 mm. long, glabrous or ciliate on the ribs; lobes 0.5–1.3 cm. long.. Corolla white or pinkish or tube and lobes often greenish outside or tinged crimson; tube (5–)9–15 cm. long, widened to 2–6 mm. at the apex at part where stamens are included, this widened part pilose outside and inside at the point of insertion of the stamens; lobes ovate or triangular-ovate, 1–2 cm. long, 2–8 mm. wide, long-acuminate at the apex; buds very distinctly apiculate.. Style exserted (1–)3–8(–22) mm.; stigma-lobes 3–5.5 mm. long.. Capsule ovoid, 5–7 mm. long, 4–6 mm. wide, 8-ribbed, glabrous, crowned by the persistent calyx-lobes, quite conspicuously beaked, the beak acute, compressed laterally, 2–3.5 mm. long; a pedicel up to 2 mm. long may be apparent in the fruiting stage.. Seeds chestnut brown, somewhat shining, trigonous-ellipsoid, ± 0.6–0.8 mm. long.. Fig. 30, p. 244
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A herb. It can grow for one or more years. It grows 30-60 cm tall. It is only slightly branched. The root is woody and the stem has 4 ribs. The leaves are narrow and 2-9 cm long by 1-2 cm wide. They taper to the tip. The flowers do not have stalks and are in the axils of leaves. They form a leafy spike like group. These are 10-25 cm long. The lowers form a long tube and are green outside with a red tinge. The fruit is an oval capsule 5-7 mm long with 8 ribs. The seeds are chestnut brown and shiny. They are 3 sided.
It is a tropical plant. It grows in bush land in the lowlands and at medium altitudes. It is often in sandy places along temporary streams. It grows between 60 and 1,350 m above sea level in East Africa.
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