Annual herb, 10-50 cm, strongly aromatic. Stems simple or branched, quadrangular, often purplish, sparsely pubescent with white multicellular eglandular hairs. Leaves narrow to broad elliptic-oblong, 2-5 x 1-2 cm, ± regularly crenate-serrulate, cuneate, acute, pilose on both surfaces, gland-dotted abaxially. Petiole 5 mm on lower leaves, less above. Inflorescence of terminal and axillary spikes, 3-5 x 0.5-1 (-1.4) cm; verticillasters condensed. Bracts broadly ovate, c. 4 x 4 mm, green or purplish, villous. Calyx c. 2 mm in flower expanding and inflating to c. 5-6 mm in fruit and broad campanulate; teeth triangular densely villous at margins, apically ± rounded. Corolla pink or purplish, c. 2.5-3 mm, very densely covered with purplish long multicellular hairs. Stamens included or shortly exserted. Nutlets c. 2 x 1.5 mm, obovoid, dark brown, finely papillate, apically verrucose, often only 1 or 2 developing.

Fl. Per.: June-August.

Type: Kashmir and Tibet. Ad Ovelia, Rici et Yonnedeh-Seursing, Jacquemant (P).

Distribution: Afghanistan, Soviet C. Asia, Pakistan, Kashmir to Bhutan, India, Tibet, China.

A fairly common plant where it occurs in our area; Hartmann (l.c.) records it at an altitude of 5100 m (Karakoram, Baltistan, Kiam).