Erect or semierect perennial herb, 20-35 cm tall, with glabrescent, cylindrical stems. Leaves 1.5-3.5 cm long, tripinnatisectly divided into narrowly linear segments with appressed hairs on nerves below. Spikes terminal, simple, 6-12 cm long, congested in flower but elongated and loose in fruit. Flowers purple, sessile; bracts lanceolate-linear, c. 3 mm long. Calyx-tube c. 8 mm long, cylindrical, 5-toothed, appressed-hairy. Corolla-tube c. 10 mm long, limb 5-lobed with obovate, emarginate lobes. Anthers with appendaged connectives. Fruits c. half as long as the calyx.

Type: Described from S. America (Paraguay).

Distribution: A native of S. America, introduced and naturalized in many parts of the world.