HABIT	AN ERECT, GLABROUS, DICHOTOMOUSLY BRANCHED ANNUAL OR PERENNIAL HERB.
STEMS	USUALLY 30-90 CM HIGH; YOUNG BRANCHES NEARLY QUADRANGULAR.
LEAVES	OBLONG-ELLIPTIC, 5-10 CM LONG AND 2.5-3.8 CM WIDE, APEX ACUTE OR OBTUSE, MARGINS COARSELY SERRATE, BASE TAPERING AND DECURRENT INTO THE OBSCURE PETIOLES.
FLOWERS	SESSILE, BORNE IN LONG, SLENDER, NEARLY CONTINUOUS GLABROUS SPIKES UP TO 30 CM LONG, THE RACHIS HOLLOWED OUT BENEATH EACH FLOWER;. DEEP BLUE OR PURPLE, RARELY WHITE, TUBE 1 CM LONG, SLIGHTLY CURVED, HAIRY INSIDE.
FRUITS	CAPSULES PEAR SHAPED, RIBBED, 3-4 MM LONG, ENCLOSED IN THE CALYX, BREAKING INTO 2 OBLONG PYRENES.
SEEDS	SEEDS BLACK, FLATTENED.