Subshrubs or perennial herbs. Rootstocks woody. Stems green-white, rigid, sparsely hirsute. Leaf blade rhombic, palmatipartite or pinnatipartite; lobes spinescent, sometimes subtending sterile spinescent bracteoles. Verticillasters 2-10-flowered. Calyx campanulate to tubular-campanulate, 5-veined; throat oblique, straight; teeth 5, subequal or 3 posterior teeth longer, triangular to oblong or broadly ovate, usually longer than tube, apex spinescent. Corolla villous outside, pilose annulate inside, 2-lipped; upper lip oblong, straight, slightly concave, 2-lobed or 4-toothed; lower lip obliquely spreading, 3-lobed; middle lobe largest, obcordate, 2-lobulate; lateral lobes straight, acute, or emarginate. Stamens 4, exserted or subincluded, anterior 2 longer; filaments complanate; anther cells 2, parallel or divergent, ciliate. Style filiform, apex subequally 2-cleft. Nutlets flattened-obconical, oblong-obovoid or oblong-ovoid, apex truncate or rounded, glandular, dusty hairy, scaly or glabrous, smooth.

About 35 species: Asia, 11 species in China.