Glabrous. Stem internodes compressed upwards, angular or longitudinally ridged. Leaves opposite; lamina ovate, 3.5-6 by 1.7-3 cm, cuneate to truncate at the base to a petiole 5-10 mm long, broadly acute at the apex, dull on both sides or slightly lustrous above; venation pinnate with the midrib raised below and other veins obscure. Inflorescences at the nodes, a sessile involucrate capitate spike of usually 2 decussate pairs of flowers; involucre 18-22 mm long, pink to red, comprising c. 7 pairs of bracts, the upper ones broadly elliptic, keeled, otherwise smooth or slightly recurved near the apex, spreading at anthesis; floral axis c. 3 mm long; lateral bracts enclosing the flowers c. 15 mm long, keeled, obtuse. Corolla in mature bud 6-merous, 32-45 mm long, widened upwards, winged near the middle, clavate above a neck and angular and obtuse at the apex, orange or red below, green at the neck and yellow above; tube in the open flower 16-32 mm long, more deeply split on one side, with the lobes reflexed or twisted slightly higher. Anther c. 4 mm long, spurred at the base, acute, about half long as the free part of the filament.
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