Elsholtzia japonica Miquel, Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugduno-Batavum 2: 103. 1865; Comanthosphace stellipila (Miquel) S. Moore var. japonica (Miquel) Matsumura & Kudo; Leucosceptrum japonicum (Miquel) Kitamura & Murata; Pogostemon japonicus Bentham & J. D. Hooker.

Herbs or subshrubs. Rhizomes woody. Stems 60-100 cm, yellow-brown, basally subglabrescent, ± terete, bearded setose at apex except for inflorescence. Petiole 0.5-6 cm, shorter to obsolete and ± winged toward stem apex; leaf blade ovate to ovate-elliptic, 8-20 × 3.5-8 cm, thin papery, adaxially sparsely minutely hispid, densely so on veins, abaxially glabrous, glandular, spreading bearded setose on veins, base broadly cuneate-decurrent, margin coarsely serrate, apex cuspidate. Spikes cylindric, 7-10 × 2.5-3 cm, sparsely stellate; verticillasters 10-flowered; bracts overlapping, ovate-rhombic, to 9 × 9 mm, early deciduous, adaxially yellow-brown, sparsely hairy, abaxially yellow and glabrous, apex mucronate; bracteoles oblanceolate, ca. 4 × 1.5 mm. Pedicel 1-2 mm. Calyx ca. 4 mm; teeth broadly triangular, ca. 0.5 mm, apex acute, anterior teeth wider. Corolla ca. 8 mm, sparsely stellate puberulent; annulus narrow, villous, on middle of tube; tube ca. 6 mm; upper lip ca. 1 × 2 mm, straight; middle lobe of lower lip ca. 2 × 3 mm; lateral lobes subcircular, ca. 1 × 1.5 mm, ± patent. Nutlets ca. 3 mm. Fl. Aug-Sep, fr. Oct-Nov.

Subtropical, evergreen forests; 1300-1600 m. Anhui, Guang-dong, Jiangsu, Jiangxi [Japan].