Roots to 30 × 1 cm, lateral ones succulent. Stems 0.5-1.5 m, sparsely retrorse hispidulous, sometimes stellate pubescent toward apex, purplish red, much branched. Petiole 1-12 cm, densely minutely hispid; leaf blade circular-ovate to ovate-oblong, 5.2-12 × 2.5-12 cm, pilose and/or stellate, base cordate to rounded, margin serrate-dentate to irregularly crenate, apex acute to acuminate. Verticillasters numerous, 4-8-flowered, pedunculate; floral leaves with petiole 2-3 mm, blade 1-3.5 × 0.6-2 cm, margin coarsely serrate-dentate; bracts purple-red. Calyx tubular, ca. 8-10 × 3-3.5 mm, densely stellate hairy outside, veins sometimes sparsely pilose; lobes double toothed, spines ca. 1.5 mm; teeth small, tufted hairy inside. Corolla reddish to purple-red, rarely white with red spots on lower lip, ca. 1.7 cm; tube ca. 1 cm, glabrous except for pubescent back outside, pilose annulate on basal 1/3 inside; upper lip ca. 7 mm, margin irregularly denticulate, silky-villous outside, bearded inside; lower lip ca. 5 × 6 mm, densely silky-villous except for glabrous margin outside, glabrous inside; lobes ovate to subcircular, middle 1 largest. Stamens included; filaments glabrous, without basal appendages. Nutlets glabrous. Fl. Jun-Sep, fr. Sep.

* Forests, grassy slopes, streamsides, thickets, wet areas; 700-3200 m. Anhui, Gansu, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hebei, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Liaoning, Nei Mongol, Shaanxi, Shandong, Shanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan