Perennial shrub erect, reaching up to 1.5 m high; leaves opposite, decussate, elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, 6-12 X 3-5 cm, acuminate at apex, subentire, green or dark purple or red, variegated with pink, glabrous; petiole 1-3 cm long; flowers in terminal and axillary, 7-15 cm long, panicles or lax spikes; bracts green, hairy, obovate, mucronate or shortly apiculate, glandular, strigose; bracteoles linear, pubescent, ciliate; calyx white or purple, pubescent lobes-5, lanceolate, corolla violet-blue or white, 2-4 cm long, lobes-5, obovate, subequal, 2-lipped, tube narrow, slender, pubescent outside; stamens-2, slightly exserted, filaments filiform, anthers oblong; capsules upto 1.5 cm long, glabrous 4-seeded; seed brown.