Herbs 70-90 cm tall. Stems 4-angled when young then subterete, sulcate, bifariously pubescent. Petiole 0.5-2.5 cm, bifariously pubescent; leaf blade narrowly elliptic to lanceolate, 3-10 × 1-4 cm, papery, both surfaces densely covered with linear cystoliths, abaxially pubescent along veins, adaxially glabrous, secondary veins 4-7 on each side of midvein, base cuneate, margin subentire, apex acuminate. Spikes axillary or terminal, 1-5 cm, 1-sided; peduncle 3-5 mm, pubescent; bracts 4-ranked; sterile bracts lanceolate-elliptic, ca. 4 × 1-2 mm, abaxially glabrous, margin hyaline and ciliate, apex acute; fertile bracts purplish, elliptic, ca. 9 × 4 mm, covered with cystoliths, abaxially glabrous, hyaline margin ca. 0.5 mm broad and ciliate, apex acute; bracteoles purple at tip, elliptic, ca. 9 × 5 mm, abaxially puberulent. Calyx ca. 6 mm; lobes linear. Corolla white, ca. 1.6 cm, outside sparsely pubescent; tube ca. 7 × 2 mm; lower lip ca. 7 mm, 3-lobed, central lobe larger; upper lip triangular, ca. 6 mm, apex emarginate. Staminal filaments ca. 3 mm, glabrous; anther thecae ca. 1.5 mm. Ovary glabrous; style ca. 1.2 cm, subglabrous. Capsule not seen. Fl. Dec-Mar.
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