Perennial herb, frequently woody and sufirutescent below, prostrate to decumbent or erect, (0.1-) 0.3-2 m, branched from the base and often also above. Stem and branches terete, striate, ± densely lanate with whitish or yellowish, ± shaggy hairs. Leaves alternate, suborbicular to lanceolate-elliptic, cuneate at the base, rounded and apiculate to acute at the apex, usually densely lanate or canescent on the lower surface and more thinly so above, those of the main stem 10-50 x 5-35 mm, those of the branches and upper part of the stem smaller; petioles up to 2 cm. Spikes sessile, solitary or usually in axillary clusters on the main stems or long to very short axillary branches, 0.4-1.5 (-2) x 0.3-0.4 cm, divergent, cylindrical, silky white to creamy, forming a long inflorescence leafy to the ultimate spikes. Flowers (in Asia) hermaphrodite. Outer 2 tepals hyaline, oval-oblong, abruptly contracted at the tip to a distinct mucro formed by the excurrent nerve, 0.75-1.25 mm, inner 3 slightly shorter and narrower, acute with a broad central green vitta along the midrib, which extends for about three-quarters of their length and is furnished with a thickened border of two lateral nerves; all tepals densely lanate dorsally. Style and two short, divergent stigmas together subequalling the ovary in length at anthesis.