Herbs perennial, to 60 cm tall, drying black. Stems glabrous or slightly pubescent, usually branched apically, branches in whorls of 3 or 4. Leaves in whorls of 4; petiole ca. 3 mm; leaf blade linear, to 5 cm X 7 mm, leathery, pinnatifid; segments rounded, wider than long, margin double dentate. Inflorescences racemose, many flowered, usually interrupted; bracts leaflike, longer than calyx. Calyx campanulate, ca. 6 mm; lobes 5, triangular, short, long ciliate, entire. Corolla dark red, ca. 2 cm; tube slightly bent basally, ca. 3 X as long as calyx, expanded apically; galea terminating in a short and wide beaklike apex, with 1 short marginal tooth on each side; lower lip slightly longer than galea, middle lobe slightly obovate, much smaller than lateral pair, ± projecting. Posterior 2 filaments sparsely pubescent. Fl. Jul--Sep, fr. Sep--Dec.
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