Rhizomatous aromatic perennial; roots fibrous. Stems several, often branched from base, c. 40 (-100) cm, thinly to densely pilose with adpressed or spreading hairs, or glabrous, leafy, purplish or green. Leaves simple, entire, ovate to narrow elliptic, 5-30 (-40) x 3-20 (-30) mm, gland-dotted, apex acute or obtuse, with scattered hairs or glabrous, leaf buds or young leaves usually in leaf axils; petiole to 20 mm. Inflorescence often much and regularly branched; branches rather slender. Verticillasters 2-flowered; spicules erect, 5-20 x c. 5 mm. Bracts 3-10 x 2-7 mm, imbricate, oblong-obovate to narrow oblong, pale green to purplish, glabrous and glaucous to pubescent, half as long to twice as long as calyces. Calyx 2-4 mm long, tubular, glabrous or with few or many spreading hairs, usually gland-dotted; teeth up to 1/2 length of tube. Corolla 5-10 mm, rose, purple or white. Anterior pair of stamens subexserted (in hermaphrodite flowers). Nutlets oblong, terete, c. 0.8-1 x 0.5 mm, dark or pale brown, minutely granulate.