Perennial up to 90 cm tall. Stem usually branched with both subappressed antrorse and patent hairs (up to 1.5 mm long) with swollen base. Leaves 60-70 x 10-16 mm, lanceolate or broadly so, antrorsely hairy; hairs c. 1.9 mm long, arising from a swollen base. Flowers racemose, bracteate, subsessile; bracts leafy but smaller. Pedicel pubescent, up to 4 mm long in fruit. Calyx 4-5 mm long, antrorsely hairy, slightly longer in fruit, lobes linear. Corolla white, tube ± 4 mm long; lobes ± spreading, ovate-obtuse, crenulate-wavy; limb 3.5-4 mm broad. Throat with 5 sac-like pubescent pouches. Anthers oblong, c. 1 mm long, situated below and alternating with pouches, subsessile, apiculate. Style 1.7 mm long, stigma sub-capitate. Nutlets 3-4 mm long, ovoid, pale white, smooth and shiny.

Fl. Per.: June-July.

Type: ‘Habitat in Europae ruderalis’ Hb. Linn. 181.1. (LINN).

Distribution: Europe to C. Asia.

A polymorphic species variable in the nature of indumentum and breath of leaves.

Kazmi (l.c. 358) distinguishes the var. stewartii Kazmi as having longer, stouter and spreading hairs, but this character is variable. Found in areas of Kashmir from 1500-3300 m.