Subshrubs to 1 m tall, strongly anisophyllous. Stems and branches 4-angled to subterete, setose. Petiole 0.6-3 cm, densely pubescent; leaf blade elliptic, broadly elliptic, or narrowly ovate, 5.5-19 × 2.7-10 cm, smaller of pair ca. 1/5 size of larger one, both surfaces densely pubescent with purplish trichomes, secondary veins 5-7 on each side of midvein, base oblique, rounded, and decurrent onto petiole, margin serrate with shallow widely spaced teeth and ciliate with red multicellular trichomes, apex acuminate. Inflorescences capitate; bracts variable in size and shape; outer bracts sterile, lanceolate, ca. 3 × 0.6 cm, densely pubescent with purplish trichomes, margin serrate; inner bracts lanceolate, ca. 1.6 × 0.4 cm, margin entire and ciliate, apex acuminate; bracteoles lanceolate, 8-12 × ca. 2 mm, pubescent. Calyx ca. 1.5 cm, 5-lobed almost to base; lobes 10-13 × ca. 1.5 mm, slightly unequal, outside pubescent with purplish trichomes especially apically, inside glabrous. Corolla purple, 4-6 cm, subventricose, outside pubescent with gland-tipped trichomes, inside glabrous except for trichomes retaining style; tube basally cylindric and ca. 2 mm wide for 0.6-1.6 cm then bent to ca. 90º and gradually widened to ca. 1.7 cm at mouth; lobes ovate, ca. 4 × 7 mm, apex retuse. Stamens 4, included; filaments glabrous, shorter pair ca. 1.5 mm, longer pair 7-9 mm and unequal; anther thecae obliquely ellipsoid, ca. 1.5 mm; pollen type 3. Ovary glabrous; style ca. 3 cm, glabrous. Capsule fusiform, ca. 12 × 3 mm, glabrous, 4-seeded. Seeds ovate in outline, ca. 2 × 2 mm, densely pubescent; areola small. Fl. Aug-Oct.
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