Suffrutescent herb to 2 m tall; stems subquadrangular, glabrous to pu-berulous. Leaves elliptic to elliptic ovate, 15-30 cm long and 4-12 cm wide, apically acuminate with the tip often curved to one side, basally attenuate, gla-brous above, puberulous beneath along the midrib and the major costa, the cystoliths visible on both surfaces, more so above, the margins entire to crenulate; petioles wanting or to 1 cm long. Inflorescences in terminal thyrses to 30 cm long, the lateral peduncles to ca. 5 mm long, the flowers in fascicles, each fascicle sub-tended by a subulate, keeled, puberulous bract 2-3 mm long, the flowers mostly borne in dichasial cymes, each subtended by a similar, though slightly smaller, more triangular bract; rachises subtomentose to tomentose; pedicels 3-6 mm long, puberulous to tomentose. Flowers with the calyx 5-merous, the segments equal, subulate, keeled, puberulous, 2-3 mm long; corolla red, bilabiate, funnelform, often curved to one side, to 3.0 cm long, 5 mm wide at the throat and 2 mm wide at the base, the tube puberulous on both surfaces, the upper lip 6-7 mm long, 4.5 mm wide at the base, 2-lobed, the lobes ovate, 4.5 mm long, 2.5 mm wide, apically obtuse, the lower lip of 3 lobes, each 7-8 mm long, 2 mm wide, apically obtuse; stamens extending to or just beyond the notch of the upper lip, the fila-ments villous, the staminodes to 3.5 mm long, the apex slightly enlarged, curved and apiculate, the sterile anthers puberulous, the filaments glabrous. Capsule not observed.
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