An aromatic, slender shrub or small tree, up to 9 m tall; branchlets slender, straggling, brittle, densely resinous-punctate, hairy, with flaky bark. Leaves opposite; petiole 2-20 mm long, appressed pubescent; blade oblong to ovate or elliptical, 1-7 cm x 0.5-3.5 cm, base rounded, margin regularly crenate with closely set blunt teeth, apex rounded or acute, upper and lower surface velvety hairy and resinous-glandular. Inflorescence a compact, nearly globose or cylindrical spike, 4-12 mm long, usually in groups of 4-6 in leaf axils; peduncle as long as the petiole; flowers fragrant, white to yellow, small, sessile in the axil of a bractlet; bractlets plainly 4-ranked, conduplicate-carinate, narrow lanceolate, 3-8 mm long, imbricate, connate at base, hirsute-tomentose, resinous-glandular; calyx small, persistent, 3-6 mm long; corolla salverform, tube 3-6 mm long, limb spreading and 4-parted; stamens 4, didynamous, inserted at about the middle of the corolla tube; pistil with 2-celled ovary, short style and thickened stigma. Fruit small, dry, included in the calyx, dividing into 2 nutlets at maturity.

Useful as intestinal antiseptic and febrifuge (leaf decoction)

PROSEA (Plant Resources of South-East Asia) Foundation

Carvacrol, thymol (leaf); naringenin, pinocembrin (root)

Leaf decoctions are used in treating diabetes and dysentery, and also to regulate menstruation. A syrup from the leaves is used against coughs and colds.