Erect shrub up to 2 m high. Branches terete, up to 2 cm ø, glabrous. Leaves chartaceous, elliptic, ovate-oblong, or obovate, 17-27 (-30) by 6.5-14 (-19) cm; apex acute, acuminate, sometimes cuspidate; base obtuse or cuneate; glabrous above, densely sericeous beneath; basal nerves 2 pairs, the inner one as prominent as the lateral ones, extending upward to ⅔ or more of the blade, the outer one very weak and short; lateral nerves 5-8 pairs, prominent beneath, distinct above; veins and veinlets transverse or slightly curved, ± scalariform, or loosely reticulate, slightly elevated below, visible or obscure above; petiole 1-1.5 cm, slightly pubescent. Inflorescences axillary, simple or sparsely branched near base, 4-7 cm long, with one or a few flowers at the apical part, pubescent; bracts many, ovate or lanceolate, 1-3 mm long, densely puberulous outside, sparsely puberulous or glabrous inside. Pedicel and ovary 7-12 mm long, densely puberulous. Perianth cupular, 8-12 mm long, c. 15 mm ø, dark purple; densely pubescent outside, sparsely puberulous inside; tube 4-6 mm long; lobes semi-orbicular or broadly ovate, 4.5-6 by 4.5-9 mm, erect, at anthesis the marginal part re-flexed and the base biauriculate. Stamens in 2 whorls: upper row 10-13, lower 14-17; filaments glabrous, c. 0.5 mm; anthers oblong, c. 1 mm long. Style column obscure; lobes 9, radiately ascending, c. 1 mm long. Capsules siliquiform, pendulous, twisted, 9 cm long. Seeds ± ellipsoid, c. 5 by 2 mm, strongly rugulose.
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