Herbs, sometimes suffrutescent, erect to 2 m high; stems quadrangular, gla-brous. Leaves ovate, 6-25 cm long, 2.8-9.0 cm wide, apically acuminate, basally attenuate, glabrous, the cystoliths numerous and conspicuous on both the surfaces giving a mottled gray cast to the leaves, the margins entire to slightly crenulate; petioles to 4.5 cm long. Inflorescences in dense headlike clusters terminating a peduncle to 10 cm long with some axillary flowers as well; bracts subtending the heads and the solitary flowers lanceolate, to 3 cm long and 0.6 cm wide; bractlets triangular to oblanceolate, to 6 mm long, apically acute; flowers sessile, several to 10 or more per head. Flowers with the calyx to 6.5 mm long, puberulent, the corolla puberulent toward the base, the tube funnelform to 2.5 cm long, 4.5 mm wide at the mouth and 0.7 mm wide at the base, the lobes to 8 mm long and 4 mm wide, rounded at the tip; stamens exserted to ca. 5 mm beyond the mouth, the anthers oblong, blunt at the base. Capsule ca. 12 mm long, 3 mm wide, obovate, pointed at the tip, narrowed at the base; seeds 6-8, flat, oval, 2.6 mm in diameter.
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