Plants rhizomatous, perennial. Stems erect, 40-80 cm, densely tomentose, glabrescent, purple-red, base with exfoliating bark; branches many, long, divaricate. Petiole ca. 1 mm; leaf blade elliptic to oblong, 1-2.5 cm × 5-13 mm, generally shorter than internodes, sometimes curved-conduplicate, densely gray tomentose, base rounded to shallow cordate, margin serrate-dentate, apex acute to subobtuse. Verticillasters in cylindric spikes 2-2.5 cm × ca. 8 mm, lower spikes ± separated; bracts filiform. Pedicel ca. 1 mm. Calyx campanulate, to 2 mm, crisped pilose, obscurely 5-veined; teeth lanceolate, ca. 0.5 mm, apex spinescent, close together in fruit. Corolla 3-3.5 mm, lobes ovate, subequal, pilose; upper lobe longer, oblong-ovate, ca. 1.5 mm, emarginate. Nutlets ovoid, ca. 0.6 × 0.5 mm, brown, sparsely hairy, pitted. Fl. Jul-Aug.

Riverbanks. Xinjiang [Tajikistan, Turkmenistan; SW Asia].