Herbs perennial, 15-30 cm tall. Rhizomes thick, scaly. Leaves all basal; petiole 3-9 cm, sheathing base glabrous at margin; leaf blade narrowly to broadly obovate or elliptic, 5-12.5 × 3.5-9.5 cm, leathery, both surfaces glabrous and ± glandular pitted, base usually cuneate, rarely rounded, margin sinuate-dentate, apex obtuse. Inflorescence cymose, 3.5-13 cm, many flowered; branches and pedicels subsessile glandular; hypanthium subsessile glandular; sepals erect, obovate to broadly triangular-obovate, 3-4 × 2-4 mm, leathery, abaxially subsessile glandular, veins many, margin glabrous, apex obtuse or retuse; petals purple, elliptic to broadly ovate, 7-8 × 4.6-5 mm, veins many, base narrowed into a claw ca. 1 mm, apex retuse; stamens ca. 4.5 mm. Ovary ovoid, ca. 2.5 mm; styles 2, ca. 2.5 mm.

Aggregant, antiinflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, hemostatic and urinary antiseptic.

A tea made from the leaves is effective in treating dermatosis, diarrhea, enterosis, fever, inflammation, leishmaniasis, rheumatism, and tuberculosis.

Contraindicated in lactating and pregnant women, and children under 12 years. High tannin content could cause adverse effects in large doses.

James A Duke and Maryl Fulton. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs - 2nd Edition, P: 671, CRC Press July 2002.