Aromatic perennial. Stems erect, 10-40 cm, mostly unbranched, arising from a creeping woody rhizome, leafy, finely eglandular pilose, quadrangular. Leaves ovate-elliptic or -oblong, 15-35 (-50) x 8-15 mm, erect or erect-spreading, crenate or serrulate, broadly cuneate or cordate, acute, ± densely eglandular pilose below with numerous sessile oil globules; petiole absent to 4 mm. Inflorescence a terminal oblong or ovoid spike-like head; verticillasters crowded in axils of uppermost often lilac-blue leaves. Inner bracts narrow linear-ovate, as long as calyces. Calyx obscured among leaves and bracts, 6-7 mm, tubular-ovate, ± straight, eglandular pilose or finely glandular papillose with sessile oil globules; throat oblique; teeth unequal, as long as or longer than calyx tube. Corolla pale blue to lilac, 10-13 mm; tube exserted from calyx, slender, scarcely widened above; upper lip deeply bifid; lower lip ± equal to upper. Nutlets 1.7 x 1.2 mm, broad obovate, brown, minutely granular with or without veins and a small basal areole.

Fl. Per.: July-August.

Type: [China] Kansu occidentale alpina, ad Hoango superiorum, ann. 1880, Przewalski s.n. (LE).

Distribution: Kashmir, Sinkiang, Tibet, Himalayas to Sikkim.

In our area often growing at field edges, further east usually on dry rocky slopes.