Glabrous. Stem internodes slightly compressed-angular. Leaves opposite; lamina ovate to elliptic, 5-7 by 1.5-2.5 cm, cuneate at the base to a petiole 3-5 mm long, attenuate or acuminate and acute to shortly rounded at the apex, dull green above, dull brown below; venation pinnate with the midrib distinct below and other veins obscure. Inflorescences at the nodes, a sessile involucrate capitate spike of usually 2 decussate pairs of flowers; involucre 10-13 mm long, comprising c. 10 pairs of bracts, the upper ones narrowly ovate, thin, acuminate and acute, deciduous at anthesis; floral axis c. 0.5 mm long; lateral bracts vestigial. Corolla in the mature bud 6-merous, c. 22 mm long, widened upwards in the lower part, angular below the middle, weakly clavate above a long neck and acute at the apex, red below and green above; tube in the open flower 3-4 mm long with the lobes reflexed close to the apex. Anther c. 3 mm long, acute, about twice as long as the free part of the filament.
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