Herbs or shrublets, 0.2-1.5(-2.5) m, erect. Stems 4(or 6)-sided, sparsely or densely patently strigose or velutinous. Leaves opposite or 3 verticillate; petiole 2-10(-15) mm, strigose or velutinous; leaf blade oblong-lanceolate, ovate-lanceolate, or elliptic, 4-9(-13) × 2-3.5(-5) cm, stiffly papery, both surfaces strigose or also velutinous, secondary veins 2 on each side of midvein, tertiary veins inconspicuous, base obtuse to subcordate, margin entire and ciliate, apex acute or acuminate. Inflorescences terminal racemose or panicled cymose, 4-22 cm; bracts 2, ovate, ca. 4 mm, abaxially glabrous or sparsely strigose, margin setiform ciliate. Pedicel short or absent. Hypanthium usually purple to dark purple, 1-2.3 cm, with several rows of up to 2.5 mm setiform stellate trichomes on stalks. Calyx lobes 4, linear-lanceolate to subulate, 0.8-1.2 cm, caducous in fruit, margin ciliate. Petals 4, pink to purple, obovate, 1.5-2 cm, margin ciliate. Stamens 8, inclined to one side; filaments ± equal to anther lengths; anthers narrowly lanceolate, long-beaked; connective slightly inflated at base, abaxially slightly inflated, adaxially spurred. Ovary ovoid, 4-celled, apex setose. Capsule long urceolate, contracted at middle, 1.0-1.6(-2) × 0.5-0.8 cm, with rows of setiform stellate trichomes on stalks, ± glabrous in old specimens or basally setose, apically glabrous. Fl. Jul-Nov, fr. Oct-Dec.
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A hairy shrub. It grows about 2 m high. The leaves have stalks. The young leaves are bronze colour. The leaves are sword shaped and have 5 veins. The leaves are 5-15 cm long. There are short hairs on both surfaces. The flowers are pink-purple. They occur in clusters. The fruit is oval. The outside is felted.
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