It is a
perennial herb, with a stout pleiocorm (a system of compact and perennial shoots occurring at the proximal end of the persistent primary root). It has basal and cauline (on the stem) leaves; the basal leaves are oblong and the cauline leaves are narrowly ovate. The inflorescence is a dense, bracteose cymoid (resembling a
cyme). The flowers are
distylous, with a divided
calyx nearly to the base with the lobes obtuse, but not hardening and without thickened nerves or angular projections when in fruit. The corolla is hypocrateriform (Salver shaped), with a narrow tube, puberulent (covered with minute soft erect hairs) outside, without faucal (the throat of a calyx or corolla) scales or annulus and with a spreading limb. The stamens are inserted at 2 different levels below the throat. The
stigma is capitate bilobed (like a divided pin head). The nutlets (small fruit/ seed capsules) are erect, ovoid-subglobose (in shape), apically acute and shortly beaked, ventrally keeled and finely tuberculate-scrobiculate (having very small pits). ==Species==