Perennial, diffused, pubescent herb; rootstock woody; branches many, slender, 4-angled; leaves sessile, muticous, linear or linear-lanceolate, acute at apex, tapering at base, entire, scabrid on margin, midrib distinct with 2-slender nerves beneath, parallel near the margins; flowers sessile, in axillary spikes, often numerous, conglomerated into ovoid-globose heads; bracts ovate-obovate, spinous-cuspidate, glabrous or ciliate; bracteoles membranous, oblong- lanceolate, narrow; sepals 4-5, glabrous, non-spinescent; corolla white, pale purple with brown-purple spots, densely hairy in bud; stamens-4, didynamous, glabrous, anther cells-2, one slightly above the other; ovary glabrous, 2-4 ovuled, style slender, stigma sub-capitate, entire or minutely bifid; capsules compressed, elongate, oblong, beaked, glabrous; seeds compressed, ovate, oblong or orbicular with long, silky, white hairs.