Perennial, multi-stemmed and branching herb or sub-shrub to 6 dm tall; stem hairs stiffly spreading or bent downward; leaves narrow to linear-lanceolate, devoid of teeth, rough to the touch; inflorescence short, few-flowered, soft-hairy; floral bracts 15-20 mm long, unlobed, 3-nerved, red-tipped; calyx hairy, pale green to pale yellow-green below, becoming pale red to red-orange above the middle; corolla exerted from the calyx, green and glandular pubescent with red, glabrous margins, hooded upper lip (galea) shorter than the tube. Flowers June through October.