Perennial herbs or subshrubs, with usually whitish tomentum, or at least densely hairy; rhizomes 0 or very short. Lvs simple, toothed. Verticels in axillary, many-flowered whorls. Bracts toothed, similar to lvs. Calyx tubular-obconic, usually 10-nerved, not gibbous at base; tube densely hairy in throat, 5-10-(30)-toothed. Corolla tube < calyx, with or without a ring of hairs inside; limb 2-lipped; upper lip straight, 2-lobed; lower lip with 2 small lateral lobes. Stamens 4, included; anther cells in 2 outer (front) stamens longer; anthers divergent. Style gynobasic, its branches unequal. Nutlets smooth, ellipsoid or nearly so, truncate at apex.
Cal nearly regular, 5–10-toothed, densely villous in the throat; cor strongly 2-lipped, the upper lip ascending, oblong, nearly straight, entire or shortly bifid, the lower lip spreading, 3-lobed, the central lobe the largest and often emarginate; stamens 4, included in the cor-tube, the lower pair slightly the longer; pollen-sacs divaricate, soon confluent; style gynobasic; nutlets truncate; perennials, generally woolly, with toothed or incised, rugose lvs, the fls in dense axillary clusters; bracteoles usually present. 35, Old World.