Herbs to 50 cm tall, erect, isophyllous. Stems 4-angled, thinly pubescent with multicellular trichomes. Petiole 0.8-2.5 cm, sulcate, pubescent; leaf blade ovate-lanceolate, ovate, or elliptic, 4-10 × 1.5-5 cm, both surfaces densely covered with cystoliths, abaxially strigose along veins, adaxially darker and glabrous, secondary veins 5 or 6 on each side of midvein, base cuneate to rounded and often oblique, margin shallowly crenate, apex shortly acuminate. Inflorescences axillary or terminal, spikes, to 4 cm; peduncle 0.3-2 cm, pubescent to puberulent; rachis glabrous; bracts ovate, persistent, margin slightly ciliate, apex obtuse; basalmost bracts sterile, leaflike, 1.5-2 × 0.6-1 cm, margin undulate; apical bracts fertile, ca. 10 × 6 mm, margin entire; bracteoles absent. Calyx 6.5-9.5 mm, subequally 5-lobed to base; lobes lanceolate, margin ciliate, apically attenuate. Corolla white, 1.3-1.8 cm, glabrous; tube basally cylindric for 4-6 mm; lobes orbicular, ca. 2.5 mm in diam. Stamens 4, included; shorter filament pair 1-1.5 mm, glabrous; longer filament pair 2-3 mm, villous; anther thecae oblong, ca. 1.5 mm; pollen type 8. Ovary comose; style ca. 1 cm, hirsute. Capsule ca. 9 mm, apically pubescent, 6-8-seeded. Seeds ca. 2 × 1.2-2 mm, pubescent. Fl. Feb-May.
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