Herbs perennial, erect, 30--70 cm tall. Stems ca. 3 mm in diam. at base, upper part thicker than lower part, triangular or quadrangular to narrowly winged, simple, often branched only in inflorescences, minutely brown glandular at apex. Leaves alternate; petiole 1--2.5 cm, narrowly winged; leaf blade elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, 6--14 X 3--5.5 cm, membranous when dry, abaxially glabrous and purplish, adaxially ± bristly, base obtuse to cuneate, margin entire or sometimes obscurely undulate, apex acute to short acuminate; veins 5--7 pairs. Racemes axillary, corymbiform, 2--5-flowered; peduncle 2--4 cm, angular; bracts ovate, leaflike, 0.8--2 cm, short-stalked. Pedicel 2--3 cm. Calyx lobes overlapping at base, orbicular to slightly depressed, ca. 3 mm, apex apiculate. Corolla yellow, 8--11 mm, deeply parted; lobes oblong, 7--10 X 4--4.5 mm, apex obtuse. Filaments connate basally into a ca. 1 mm high ring, free parts very short; anthers 3--3.5 mm, basifixed, apex obtuse, opening by apical pores. Capsule globose, ca. 4.5 mm in diam., with many fine vertical striations. Fl. May-Jun.