Hemizygia

Perennial soft shrubs or annual herbs, or stems arising annually from a perennial woody rootstock. Leaves opposite or rarely ternate, sessile or petiolate, usually toothed. Inflorescences terminal, spike-like, paniculate; verticils crowded or lax, 2-6-flowered; bracts small and caducous or persistent, or terminal few pairs large and persistent as a colourful coma. Calyx bilabiate, 5-toothed, uppermost tooth broadly ovate to subrotund, decurrent on tube; 2 lower teeth subulate to spinescent, longer than 2 lateral, deltoid-lanceolate teeth. Corolla bilabiate; tube subcylindrical or widening slightly to the truncate mouth; upper lip short, erect, obscurely 3- or 4-lobed; lower lip longer than upper, concave, horizontal to deflexed. Stamens 4, didynamous, usually exserted; upper pair arising near or below middle of corolla tube, filaments free, usually pubescent near base and sometimes higher as well; lower pair arising at corolla mouth, filaments connate for all or part of their length (occasionally almost free), glabrous. Disc usually crenate, produced in front. Style exserted, minutely bifid or occasionally clavate. Nutlets ovoid. x = 7 (1 report) (polyploidy).