Subshrubs or perennial herbs, to 1 m tall. Stems subterete, glabrous. Winter buds ovoid, ca. 2 mm, pubescent. Petiole 0.5-1.5 cm, sulcate, glabrous; leaf blade elliptic to obovate, 6-17 × 2-6 cm, glabrous, midvein abaxially prominent and adaxially impressed, secondary veins 6-8 on each side of midvein, prominent on both surfaces, and meeting near margin, base attenuate, margin entire or slightly undulate, apex shortly acuminate to acute. Spikes terminal, 5-10 cm, densely flowered, usually with 1-3 flowers on each inflorescence node; peduncle ca. 1 cm; bracts leaflike, green to maroon, imbricate, broadly ovate to subcircular, 1-1.5 × 0.8-1 cm, abaxially pilose to subglabrous, pinnately veined, margin ciliate, apex acute; bracteoles linear, 3-5 × 1-2 mm, margin ciliate. Calyx 5-lobed; lobes linear-lanceolate, ca. 3 mm, margin ciliate. Corolla creamy white with purplish pink stripes on lips, 1.5-1.8 cm, outside pilose, inside pubescent; tube basally cylindric and ca. 1.7 mm wide for ca. 1 cm; lower lip 3-lobed, lobes ovate, ca. 2 × 1 mm, and apex rounded; upper lip oblong-ovate, 2-lobed. Stamens exserted; filaments ca. 6 mm, glabrous; anther thecae ovoid, subequal, superposed, lower one with a white appendage at base. Ovary comose; style ca. 1.6 cm, base pilose. Capsule ca. 8 mm, pubescent, 4-seeded. Fl. Nov-Jan, fr. Apr-May. 2n = 30.
Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs soaking.
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