Marrubium eriostachyum Bentham, Labiat. Gen. Spec. 586. 1834; Moluccella mongholica Turczaninow ex Ledebour.

Stems purple, erect, slightly branched from base, 25-30 cm tall, ± floccose-lanate. Petiole 2-4 cm basally, less than 1 cm upward; leaf blade reniform-orbicular, 2.5-3 × 3-4 cm, palmately divided, lobes ovate to broadly elliptic, adaxially ± villous, abaxially pilose and glandular, base cordate, margin 1- or 2-crenate, apex rounded. Verticillasters many flowered, in terminal, oblong-ovoid, densely white lanate spikes, 1 or 2 basal spikes widely spaced; floral leaves 3-lobed; bracteoles needlelike, ca. 5 mm, densely lanate. Pedicel absent. Calyx tubular-campanulate, ca. 1 cm, densely lanate, 5-veined, veins ± distinct in fruit; teeth 3-4 mm, triangular, apically spiny, subequal, 2 slightly longer. Corolla brown-purple, ca. 8 mm, villous; tube ca. 6 × 1.5 mm, included; upper lip ovate, almost as long as lower lip; middle lobe of lower lip broadly ovate, apex emarginate, lateral lobes elliptic. Immature nutlets triquetrous, ovoid. Fl. Aug.

Stony slopes. Qinghai, Xinjiang [Mongolia, Russia].