A lark shrub up to 3 m tall. Branches glabrous with fibrous papery bark. leaves 2-8 x 1.5-5 cm, glabrous or slightly pubescent only on the nerves, elliptic to ovate or ovate-lanceolate, base cuneate or rounded. Peduncle up to 3 cm long, thin, slender, glabrous. Bracts c. 2 mm long, narrow linear with glandular margin, shorter than ovaries. Bracteoles obsolete or minute. Calyx lobes c. 1 mm long linear, lanceolate, glandular-ciliate. Corolla 9-10 mm long, 2-lipped, yellow above, pink below, tube short gibbous. Berries connate, black.

Fl. Per.: May-July.

Type: In Sirmore, India Orientalis, Govan.

Distribution: Kurram eastward to Swat, Kashmir, India, Nepal and Bhutan.

A very polymorphic species in leaf shape, size, hairiness and peduncle Leaves vary from glaucescent to glabrous or slightly pubescent on nerves beneath to dark, green, glacous and prominently reticulately nerved on the upper surface. Found in temperate Himalaya between 2000-4000 m.