Annual. Stems erect, unbranched or with few branches, 10-50 cm, leafy, pubescent with spreading and adpressed retrorse hairs. Leaves narrow oblong-elliptic, cuneate, subentire to slightly crenate, up to 8 x 2 cm, with long and short eglandular hairs denser below; petiole on lower leaves sub-absent to c. 5 mm. Verticillasters 1-2 on branches, globose, 2-3.5 cm in diameter, up to 50-flowered. Bracts numerous, imbricate, narrow, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, equalling calyces, ciliate on margins. Calyx 12-15 mm, tubular, slightly curved, clearly nerved, with a slightly oblique mouth, distinctly hairy at throat, with eglandular and sometimes also with very short glandular hairs; teeth 10, subequal, shortly triangular, mucronulate, c. 1 mm. Corolla c. 15 mm, upper lip bearded; lower lip dearly longer than upper. Nutlets narrow oblong, bluntly trigonous, c. 3 x 2 mm.

Fl. Per.: July-October.

Type: "In India oriental" Heyne (B?).

Distribution: E. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Kashmir, Assam, Deccan.

The spreading and retrorse stem hairs, the numerous imbricate bracts and the few large verticillasters are characteristic features. R. R. Stewart (1972) notes it as a "common hot weather field weed". Used as a culinary herb.