Perennial herb with a ± creeping woody rootstock. Stems ascending-erect, 15-30 cm, not or little branched, finely eglandular tomentose with short or longer white hairs, sometimes glandular-papillose above, regularly leafy. Leaves thickish textured, 7-20 x 7-12 mm, greenish above, villous or densely white tomentose below with sessile oil globules, triangular-ovate to broad ovate, crenate to serrate, broadly cuneate, apically ± acute; petiole 2-10 mm on lower leaves decreasing up the stem to subabsent. Inflorescence of terminal congested ovoid or oblong spikes, 20-40 x 15-20 cm; verticillasters many-flowered sometimes lowermost 1 or 2 separate. Outer bracts elliptic, ovate-lanceolate to obtrullate, green or purplish, acuminate; inner linear-lanceolate; all ± equal to length of calyx. Pedicels adpressed to axis, to c. 2.5 mm. Calyx c. 7-85 mm, ± membranous, narrow tubular obtriangular, eglandular pilose to vinous; throat slightly oblique; teeth somewhat unequal, linear to filiform, mucronate, ciliate, shorter to longer than tube. Corolla pale lilac, violet or almost white, with a white labellum, c. 12 mm; tube curved, exserted. Nutlets 1.5 x 0.9 mm, broad ellipsoid, dark brown, smooth, rounded trigonous, with a small bilobed basal areole.

Fl. Per.: June-August.

Holotype: NW Himalaya, Syen range and Mussoree, ann. 1832, Royle (K!).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tibet, NW India, Nepal.

The rather low habit, discolorous leaves, the spicate inflorescence and the smooth nutlets are, in combination, the characteristic features of this often high alpine species, usually growing on exposed rocky slopes; Hartmann (l.c.) records it as growing up to 5100 m. Its allies are Nepeta eriostachys q.v. and Nepeta podostachys s.l.